Matching Set
by littletripper25
Summary: In many ways we matched. We both didn't see it but we did. My name is Eva and I was 12 years old when I was saved from an abusive father. I am now 25 and I have made a vow to save the scarred up man with the crossbow. We both have scars. We both know pain. We match. DarylXOC
1. Chapter 1

I put my pencil down and sighed. My last final exam was over and I was done with college. After 5 years of schooling I was now a nurse practitioner. Most people tried to convince me to go on and be a doctor sense a NP was just a step below a doctor but I always said no. To do that would require another 3 or 4 years of schooling which I didn't have the time nor money for. I had gotten lucky and worked my butt off in school to get a free ride to the college of my choice. With school over I planned on heading back home to see my 16 year old brother before taking off to New York to start work. I had a set plan always knowing what to do. But there was one thing I didn't consider.

The dead walking.

I had just walked out of my dorm when I heard the first scream. Like everyone else I had seen the news reports, but I had faith that they would find a cure. But once the news got grimmer and grimmer I knew it was a lost cause. So I ran. Or tried to. I had a small bag packed and enough to gas to get me to Atlanta. After I was going to find my family. But when I saw the first walker I knew it was a a false dream I would never make it. Not after I could see what they could do. I couldn't fight, my thing had always been getting my school work done and staying outta trouble. I was barley peaking over 5'ft 120lb and long black hair. I was no fighter. So I did what I always did.

I ran.

I was able to make it to my truck a gift from my foster dad. As I was reaching to unlock the door I heard a groan near me and someone call my name I turned just in time to see my best friend Michael push the thing away from me and put his favorite pocket knife threw its eye.

"Eva are you ok? Did it bite you?" he asked franticly running his hands over me

I quickly shook my head and said it my soft voice "No no I'm fine"

He nodded clearly please with my answer " Ok good. Look I heard there's a refugee center in Atlanta. I was on my way here to get you and see if you want to go with me. I know your family's there."

"Do you think we'll make it? I mean look what's going on. Michael I cant fight im weak." I said

"Yes, we'll make it. And you'll learn how to fight. Besides im sure this thing will just blow over, they'll find a cure, then we can come home."

Nodding I said. "Ok ok lets go."

So we drove. It was going to take about 4 hours to get to Atlanta. We ran into a few walkers but always managed to get away. We stopped once and it was so Michael could get a few guns and for me to gather a bunch of medical supplies and anything useful such as canned food, tents in case Atlanta didn't workout and there was no cure, sleeping bags and because Michael insisted my shoes went very "survival safe" a pair of shin length boots. As we neared Atlanta we entered a line of cars. I sighed and turned off my truck.

I looked over at Michael and saw him clench his jaw. Michael wasn't a very patient man, that as for sure. We were very different me and him, he was tall, blonde and had a lot of muscle from constant working out. While I the other hand was short and small, I had a graceful build and nearly no muscle. I had black hair and white skin with green eyes. Most of my looks came from my mother, except for my hair that came from my dad, thick and dark, just like his. Michael had a bit of a temper and a very dirty mind while I on the other hand, I was like a saint as he put it often and would blush when ever some one put on a movie with even the slightest sex scene. Michael often teased me saying he didn't understand how I could work so closely with male bodies but got all uncomfortable around simple sex scenes that really weren't that dirty. But he didn't understand I had a hard start at the beginning of my life that he knows nothing about. It wasn't something I talked of. It used to bother him but he finally came to understand it was something id tell him with time.

We had been waiting for almost 3 hours when we saw the first plane drop its bombs. There was yelling all over and I could hear people crying and screaming. Me? I just stood there out side of my car and saw my world die before me. Because no matter how much Michael tried to tell me I knew in my heart my brother was dead, there was no denying it.

A part of me was glad because he wouldn't have to live like this. But the other part of me saw nothing to live for now. He had been my life, we had gotten lucky and been adopted together by the man and women who I always saw as mom and dad. We had endured our parents neglect and he more the once tried and saved me from my dads drink fueled rampages and beatings, I was 12 and he was 5 but still he looked out for me and I looked out for him. We were always the best team, inseparable till I left for college. And now he was gone. In a blink of and eye.

Dead.

I was staring at the city when a man came up to us and introduced him self as Shane, saying him and a Few others where heading outta here. Going to look for somewhere safe and asked us to join in. Michael readily agreed. I was going to let Michael drive because I wasn't very good at driving off road witch it where Shane said we were going to be headed. As I was opening the passenger side door I saw Shane walk over to two men standing next to a truck. They were both tall and had a lot of muscle from what I could see in the dark with only the headlights of other cars at my aid. The taller one said something and nodded while the shorter of the to just shrugged and walked back to the car. As I got in I saw Michael look over at me and gave me a tight smile. I only gave him a half of one back.

By the time we reached what Shane had called a quarry it was late and we were all tired. We all set up our tents and as I was in the middle of setting up mine a women came up to me she was around 5'6 from what I could tell and had brown hair. I smiled slightly, a little hesitant as to why she was here, none of the others had talked to me or Micheal except Shane who came by to see if we were doing ok.

"Hi I'm Lori" the women said and stretched out her hand.

"Eva nice to meet you" I said and gave her hand a shake.

"Look my son was snooping around your truck and he noticed some comic books in the back. I'm sorry but I was wondering if he could read them he's a big fan of the ones you've got. If that's ok." She said.

I smiled and said "Of course let me go get them"

She gave me a brief nod of thanks and a small smile then walked off.

"Hey Michael I got to go get something from the truck ok? I'll be back in a little bit"

"Ok be careful" He called from the inside of his tent.

"I will" I said as I walked off.

As I was collecting the comic books I saw one the two men from the highway walk up to me it was the taller one. He gave me a smile and introduced him self.

"Hey there, names Merle. Merle Dixon." He said holding out his hand. As I shook it and introduced my self I noticed his hands were rough and thick.

"Listen, you ever need anything, anything at all," he said with a small wink. "You just come by my tent, blue one over there. Merle will take ya. Ok sweet thang?"

And walked away. As I watched him walk I saw the shorter one witch I'm guessing was his brother staring at me. After he walked into his tent I went and gave the comic books to Lori and met her young son Carl. Then I went to my tent finished setting it up, unrolled my sleeping bag and after getting comfortable I finally let the weight of what was going on and the death of my brother overtake me and cried my self to sleep. My final thought before sleep over took me was I needed to learn to shoot and fast.

**AN: Hi so this is my first fan fic writing ever. so can you guys tell me how im doing? don't be afraid to be blunt if you think I should continue then I will. thanks for all who read. I don't own the walking dead.**


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning was bright and hot. My guess I had slept till around noon. As I walked out of my tent I could see people starting to sent up a few fire pits and starting to rearrange the cars so we could all have an easy way of getting out of camp if we were over run I'm guessing. From the looks of it its as if Shane has appointed him self as leader. I didn't trust him there was something that reminded me of my father someone I never wanted to see again though as far as I knew he was rotting in some prison outside Atlanta.

As I walked around camp I saw some of the women setting up a cloths line. I offered to help. Which they gladly excepted. I spent the rest of the morning setting up clothing lines and chairs around the 3 fire pits. I hadn't seen Michael all morning and I started to get worried Lori told me that him and a few of the other guys went down to the small lake to see if the water was drinkable. I nodded reassured he was safe.

We were in the middle of making lunch when the men returned. We had a lunch of baked beans and caned beef after we were done eating Shane came over and started asking what we all did before all this happened. Everyone was surprised when I told them I was finishing my schooling to become a nurse practitioner.

Over the coming weeks I had become the camp nurse and my tent had turned into some what of a medical center for our little band of survivors. Our group consisted of about 20 or so people and everyone pulled there weight. I mostly cooked and help with laundry when I wasn't needed to help someone. Michael and taken up being a guard for the group he often worked nights and then slept most of the day so I rarely saw him much only around dinner and before he went to sleep. I had managed to make friends with most everyone except a man named Ed who reminded me to much of my father so I mostly stayed away from him. I had tried countless times to talk to the younger brother of Merle but he was really quite and the only time we had any interaction was when I went by there tent to get there dirty cloths. Other then that he mostly stayed with his brother or was hunting. I had found out his name was Daryl. He has blue eyes and dark brown hair and didn't say much.

I had been in helping cook dinner when he came over to me holding his left arm close to his chest with a dirty cloth that was starting to get filled with blood and a slight limp to his left leg.

"hey you a doctor right?" he had a rough voice with a southern drawl to it.

"a nurse practionor but I guess its the same thing yeah what happened?" I answered back

"got snagged by a thorn bush cut me pretty deep and managed to trip while walking a along a rocky side of a hill. think ya can patch me up?"

"yeah of course come on over to my tent" I said as we started walking. I head to admit that was the most he ever said to me.

"So do you often get hurt when hunting or is this a rare occurrence?" I asked while starting to stich up his arm. the cut wasn't very big but still would need to be stitched up.

"Nah I normally have good balance I just happened to step on a lose rock." he answered back with a slight wince as I put the needle through his skin.

"Well that a good thing. It seems as though I often ave to patch up Merle more then anyone else." I said with a small smile. He just gunted and asked

"How old are you anyway? You seem a bit young to be a doc."

"I'm 25. I just don't look it. How old are you?"

"30"

I nodded and put a bandage on the stiches.

"Come back to see me in a few days so I can change this. Now let me see your ankle" I said. he just nodded and put his foot up on a over turned milk crate. It was slightly swollen but luckly not broken.

"You have a slight sprain but nothing major. im going to tell you to stay off of it for a few days to let it heal but I have a feeling your not going to listen to me so when you do walk around don't put to much weight on it ok?" he just nodded and got up and with a small mubled thanks he left.

after he left I started cleaning up and counting the medical supplies I had left. it wasn't a lot I was going to have to make a run into town to get more.

I left the tent to go and find Glenn our go o town guy. he often went t Atlanta to go get supplies and more caned food.

I saw him by the rv helping dale with something.

"Hey Glenn!" I called

He turned and smiled at me like he often did. "hey what's up Eva?"

"Nothing but I was wondering if you would want to make a run into town soon im running low on medical supplies and I don't know the streets that well. I could really use the help. If your not to busy."

"Yeah yeah definitely. When did u want to go?"

"Tomorrow? If that's good with you we can take my truck."

"Yeah ok sounds good. Let me let Shane know and see if anyone else needs anything."

"Ok thanks" I said and walked off to see if Micheal was awake so I oculd let him know what was going on.

I knocked on his tent. and when I got no answer I just walked in and turned right back around my cheeks blazing red because he want alone in his tent. the flash of long blonde hair was enough for me to realize it was Amy he was with.

I was walking away not really paying attention to much more then getting away. Michael and I weren't a couple or anything. he was my best friend and yeah seeing him getting it on with someone wasn't something I ever wanted to see.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice Daryl in front of me and ran right into him.

"Damn girl watch where your going." Daryl said annoyance clear in his voice.

"I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention." I apologized

"Eva!" I knew it was Michael.

"Looks like your boyfriend is looking for you better hurry on 'for he gets worried." Daryl said though the sarcasm was clear in his voice.

"Eva can we talk? Oh hey Daryl. look mind giving us some privacy? I really need to talk to Eva about something." Michael said to Daryl.

"Whatever go on and have your little lovers spat some where else." Daryl said back.

Michael made a clear point of sound annoyed and grabbed my arm to lead me near the edge of camp.

"Look Michael I don't rally care what you do in your spare time ok? I'm not mad or anything it was just really really awkward seeing that." I said once we were outta ear shot of Daryl

"I know I just wanted to make sure you were ok. I know how sex freaks you out and no doubt seeing that made you freak out a little." He said back to me.

"I'm fine really but next time put a sock near the door or something you really don't want Andrea walking in on that shed skin you alive." I said back.

"Yeah I know your right. Ok so where good right?" he asked

"Yeah were good don't worry I just wanted to tell you I'm planning on heading into town tomorrow with Glenn I'm running low on medical supplies."

"Ok well be careful and take one of my guns with you."

"Michael we both know I cant shoot so there's no point I me taking one when ill most likely blow my own hand off." I said back

"Fine then ill give one to Glenn"

"Ok... You should head back no doubt Amy is a bit upset you waked out on her."

"Oh shit yeah your right ok well ill see you at dinner." With that he ran off back to his tent. As he pasted the Dixon brothers tents I noticed Daryl glancing at me from the corner of his eye clearly trying not to make it obvious that he was watching us.

Sighing I made my way back to camp. when I got there Shane walked up to me followed by t-dog.

"Hello Eva" Shane said

"Shane" I said back

"So Glenn tells me you to are planning on heading into town tomorrow."

"Yeah that's the plan I'm running low on medical supplies and I'm sure people need some stuff as well." I said back.

"Yeah ok well listen I don't want you going." Shane said

"What? Why not?"

"Because your the only one with medical experience I don't want to risk you getting hurt." He said back. "Look just write down a list of what you need and give it to T-Dog and he'll go"

"Shane ill be fine with Glenn he knows the city really well he'll keep me safe." I said back before he could walk off.

"Look so far T-Dog, Glenn, Jacqui, Andrea and Merle are going. There's really no need for you to go. Ok?" I just sighed and nodded. As he walked off I told T-Dog I would give him the list tomorrow and headed back to my tent.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Hey guys so I'm going to try a Daryl point of view. Fair warning it might suck sense I'm still pretty new to all this. But I did want to give a big thank you to those who favorited my story and started following it. Made me smile. So thanks guys. I don't own The Walking Dead.**

Being at this camp was weird and being around this many people felt ever weirder. Yeah I was used to camping and being out in the woods hell I was practically raised there. But I was always alone or with Merle when he wasn't in jail. But being here was just downright odd and hard to get used to. The other thing that was hard to get used to was Eva. The short little doc confused the shit outta me. She was to nice and sweet all the time. I mean it was the end of the fucken world and she still managed to find things to be happy about. Always walking around camp smiling and shit hell sometimes it was down right annoying. Merle thought the little doctor was hot I couldn't blame him she was. But still it was her personality that make me scratch my head. She showed everyone respect even me and Merle. No one did that unless they were afraid of us. And it looked like she wasn't. When ever she came by to get our laundry she always had a smile and a thank you to me for the meat I always brought in. She really was the only one who did that.

The day she patched me up and I was in her tent I noticed she was pretty neat and she had a stuffed little puppy on her sleeping back it was matted and old but still it was the only really personal item in her tent besides her cloths. She didn't speak much of her past except to say that her younger brother had died in the Atlanta bombings the night we all met. That was it. But when ever she looked me straight in the eye I could tell she had a past and she had a constant limp from something being a hunter and all made me able to noticed those things it was an old wound that much he could tell but the girl was no fighter she could out last a saint with her patience and understanding nature. Everyone had taken a liking to her right away hell so had me and Merle though I think Merle just wanted to get in her pants.

The day the people left to Atlanta had been hot and sweaty they had left early in the morning. I had thought Eva had gone with them but when I woke I saw her by the fire pit cooking breakfast with Lori and Amy. The whole thing had been her idea I had walked past her and Glenn talking about had to admit that damn little Asian had some balls.

She smiled up at me when I walked up to get my plate but before I could make it to far the little doc ran up to me.

"Hey Daryl" She said with a smile like always.

"What?" I answered back it wasn't his turn to have his cloths washed.

She just smiled back completely unfazed by his rudeness.

"Well I was wondering what are you doing today?" She asked

"Planning on going huntn' later why?" I answered.

"I was hoping you could teach me to shoot.." she said it with an obvious look of uncertainty.

"Why the hell you wanna learn how to shoot? And why ask me?"

"No one else will teach me Shane put some kind of law out witch makes me forbidden to go anywhere near a gun. I swear its like he thinks I'm going to blow my head off." I had to admit this was the first time I had ever seen her upset about something it was kind of amusing.

"Please? I need to learn." I could tell how determined the little doc was but still I mean what if I said no?

"An if I say no?" I asked I really wanted to see what she would do.

"Then ill teach myself. But mind you it would mean me trying to steal a gun and going out into the woods alone." I could tell she was serious. I sighed and scratched my head I really didn't want to teach her but I knew she was serious and despite that fact that she believed she wouldn't blow her own head off I wasn't so sure. This group really couldn't risk losing the only source of medical care hell Merle couldn't either.

"Alright ill teach you but when were out there you better listen to everything I say I mean it. Don't try no hero shit." I swear she gave me the biggest smile I had really ever seen on her and threw he arms around me so fast I didn't have time to try and stop it.

"Thank you Daryl so much I wont let you regret it I promise." Hell I was already doing just that I didn't like people touching me and damn well never liked hugs. I pushed her off me with one hand and looked down at her.

"Yeah yeah yeah let me finish eating then we'll head on out meet me by my tent in 20mins and don't be late." I said and turned and walked away.

20mins later there she was all smiles. She looked different though her long hair she normally wore down was now pilled on top if her head showing off her slender neck and tiny ears. I looked her up and down and noticed her change in clothes as well as the converse she normally wore were replace by shin length boots she had on her customary jeans and a white long sleeved. That was going to get dirty pretty fast once we got out into the woods and we were going far I was planning on taking her to this little clearing about an hour so walk out. We had to be far enough that the others wouldn't hear the shots.

"Alright come on its gonna be a long walk" I said and tuned and started walking in the direction we were headed. She kept up pretty easily though she did trip often. She didn't talk much for that I was grateful I didn't like talking to people. As we neared the clearing I felt her grab my arm just outta habit I jerked away and kept walking thinking she saw a flower of something else but when she did it again I turned and look at her getting ready to yell but that's when I saw the walker walking toward us at a speed at witch most didn't my guess it was because this one had both legs. I quickly grabbed the little doc and pushed her behind me taking out the walker pretty easily with a clean shot through the head with my crossbow. After I took the bolt out of its rotting eye I looked up just in time to see her double over and lose her breakfast.

"What? You acting like you aint ever seen one up close before." I said after reloading.

"Only once before but it wasn't as decomposed like she is." She answered back her voice a little scratchy from having just thrown up.

"You know to aim for the head right?" I asked after she nodded we continued to walk but now I kept a more vigilant eye out. I was pretty impressed she hadn't started screaming at the first sight of the walker like most women would have.

. . .

The little doc kept on surprising him during the whole shooting lesson she listened with rapt attention and willingness to do anything I said. She wasn't that bad of a shot really it was going to take some more lessons before she was able to shoot moving targets but so far she had the basics knocked down and those basics could very well save her life one day. After about an hour or so of using the gun she asked to try my crossbow. I wasn't gonna lie I was pretty curious as to how'd she handle it. As I handed it over I tried to stifle a laugh as her eyes went big and her arms fell from the weight of it. But always the determined one she quickly picked it up, a little valley forming between her brow as she concentrated on not dropping it. I stepped behind her to show her how to properly hold it. The doc was so small she barely came up to my chest. I stepped back after showing her. Once she took the stance I showed her and took aim I wasn't gonna lie at how very hot she looked holding my crossbow like that. She pulled the trigger and to my surprise she hit the tree she had been aiming for head on.

"Well doc you might just be better at a crossbow then a gun." I said with a small half smile.

"Thanks though I might need a lighter one my arms almost came outta there sockets trying to lift that thing." She said with her smile.

"Come on lets head back before they notice your gone." I said and started leading her back to the woods.

. . .

Before we entered camp I gave her the small revolver that she had practiced with out in the field. She raised her eye brows in a silent question.

"You need one. You know how to shoot it and reload it. Shane's wrong for trying to shelter you. Just only use it when you have to." I said to her. She smiled and gave me a quick peck on the cheek before I could stop her. When she stepped back she had a blush.

"Thank you Daryl I had a really nice time today. I promise to only use it when I have to." She said before walking off.

Damn girl is messing with my head I thought as I stalked off into the woods to hunt.

**AN: OK guys so what did you think? Should I do more POV of Daryl or should I just stick to Eva? Also I have been uploading every day and its because I'm off school so when school starts up again I don't know how much I'm going to up load. Also I don't have a point to where this story is headed I don't know yet if I'm going to let it go the course of the show so let me know what you guys think I should do. :) P.S Hello guest Emmi I hope you can understand it better now. I re-read it and noticed a lot of mistakes so thank you for pointing that out. Hope its easier for you to read. Thank you for being honest with me. - Drea**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Hey guys so this is going back to Evas POV. Hope you all enjoy!**

Merles gone.

When Glenn and the others came back with out him it was a shock. No doubt nobody cared I had heard a lot of them talking bad about him. If they only took time to get to know him. If they could look past the sexist jokes and cursing they would realize he was a good guy. No one deserved to be left on a roof to die.

The only bright light that came from this all was that Rick was now reunited with his family. In the time I've known Carl and Lori I could see the difference in there faces they were happy. But Shane seemed to have gotten a little weirder I don't know. I would expect him to be happy about it. His best friend coming back. Maybe the shock was still settling in.

The other thing on my mind was Daryl. He'd went off hunting after our lesson and hasn't come back. I was starting to get worried he was never out this long. He needed to know what happened to Merle.

By night time I had stopped waiting for him to come back. To distract my self I went and started organizing the medical supplies Glenn had got for me. He had gotten a good load. I was half way through when Lori came by and asked me to check Ricks wound he got before the world ended.

Rick was and interesting man. He was tall with brown hair and blue eyes. I can now see Carl is a spitting image of him.

"So how long have you been a doctor?" he asked as I was taking off his old bandage.

"Not long I had just finished my final exams the night I saw my first walker." I answered back.

"Lousy timing huh? Didn't even get to start working." He said back.

"No I don't see it that way im just grateful I was able to get the knowledge, now I can still help people I may not get paid but still helping people is why I went into nursing." I answered back. His wound was healing good. A simple change of the bandage would suvice.

"So your not a real doctor your a nurse?" He asked after a moment of silence.

"I'm a nurse practitioner but people look at me as more of a doctor so I just let them." I said back.

"Well were very lucky to have you." He said with a small smile.

"Thank you. Well your healing up very nice and you should only need that bandage on for a week or so more then you'll be as good as new." I answered back.

"Thank you" He said while pulling on his shirt

"The man we left behind, did you know him?" He asked as I started packing up my supplies. The question made me stop, the way he had phrased it made Rick sound so sad.

"Merle? Yeah I knew him. We weren't close but I knew him." I told Rick.

"He was a danger to the group you understand that right?" He asked looking me square in the eye.

"I don't believe that Rick. Sure Merle had his bad points the only difference is that his showed more then others. That's what made people miss trust him and not like him. These people never bothered to really try to see past those points I did and I'm glad I was able to catch a glimpse of the man behind them." I answered back to a more than shocked looking Rick.

"He was crude and a drug addict you understand that right? How do you think these people are supposed to view that?" He asked back with his eye brows drawn close together.

"I understand the way it looks. And I've seen more then my fair share of bad people but for them the bad in them have always outweighed the good. Its the same with Merle he may have been all those things but what they didn't see was the fact that he's been hurt in the past, people wont take the time to stop and think what could have breed those habits, what happened in his past that made him like that. Merle had his good points he would hunt for the group, he chopped fire wood for us and he was the one who came up with stringing cans around that perimeter of our camp so if any walkers came near we would hear them. An still doing all that people still chose to judge him wrongly." I told Rick who was now looking at me like I had lost it a little.

"I should get going, I have to help with dinner tonight." I told him and as I turned to leave I felt his hand grab my elbow not in a threating way but enough that he needed to grab my attention. As I turned to look at him I saw something in his eyes it was only a glimpse but still it was there. I couldn't put my finger on it but it looked like sadness and pain.

"Do you think we should go back for him?" Rick asked.

"Yes because no matter what he's still a human maybe a messed up human but still one." I told him and his eyes casted downward and his brows came together deep in thought.

"Rick if your having second thoughts you should know Merle has a brother." I told him. I saw him sigh and rub his hand across his face.

"Yeah I know." He answered back.

"Then you also know how it feels to lose family. Now answer this, would you really want someone else to go through what you did? Even if Merles dead at least Daryl will know and be able to bury him, but to go on living never knowing? That's something no one should have to go through" I told him before exiting the tent. As I made my way back to my own tent I saw Lori who gave me a bright smile and a thank you. I simply nodded back with a small smile.

All through out dinner there was a tense silence I was able to be with Michael for the first time in what felt like years. I wanted to talk to him to catch up, but all his attention was on Amy. I sighed and stood up telling Carol thank you for dinner and went back into my tent. As I curled into a tight ball my mind wandered to what Merle must be feeling right now and to how Daryl was.

***Merles POV***

Lots of stars out tonight, I thought

I was staring to feel the first signs a dehydration. There was a dry patch on my tongue that refused to get wet, my head was pounding and I hadn't pissed for a long time now.

My mind wandered to the camp. More specifically Daryl. An much to my surprise the little doc, Eva.

For Daryl I wondered how he took me not coming back with the rest of them. No doubt he was mad I wondered if he had kill officer friendly and that nigger who dropped the damn key.

An for the little doc I just wondered how she was. She was a sweet little thing. Always saying thank you to everyone showing respect to people who she felt had earned it. Hell she even smiled at me and told me thank you when I brought meat back or when I set up the alarm system of sorts. No one else had even cared. But she did. In the beginning I figured she was like that because she was raised by rich white folk and had the perfect life with the perfect family and all that good shit. But then I noticed something else.

One day while I was check the perimeter I walked by her tent and the small mesh widow was open and she was changing, at first I was all excited at seeing her undress, but that excitement quickly stopped as I saw what was underneath her long sleeve she always wore. And all along her back and down to her arms were scares. Some were faded pale lines but the others that were deep, Still obvisly old , were raised an a angry pink color. I had stopped breathing when I saw them because I knew what they were from I could recognize the shapes I had some of my own. Not to that extent but still I had some it made me wonder who in the hell would mark her like that? The little doc who was always smiling and being just plain good. It had made me sick to my stomach.

From that moment on I had always treated her with respect because in my mind anyone who went through that kind of hell and still managed not to come out like me or Daryl had more then earned it.

***Evas POV***

Lori was upset with me.

During breakfast the morning after Rick had come back she had came storming up to me with an angry look on her face.

"You!" She yelled pointing a finger at me

"You had better have a good reason for telling Rick to go back to Atlanta to go get that drug addict Merle." She yelled. At that point the whole camp was looking at us now.

"He's a human being Lori." I answered back.

"He may be a person but he's a dangerous one at that. He has no place in this group." She said the only good thing was that she wasn't yelling now.

"How can you say that? Even if he has no place in this group he still has a right to a life may it be in or out. And you have no right to dictate that." I told her. A lot of people had raised there eyes brows at me.

"No I do not but my husband should not have to risk his life for him. Nor should anyone else. What are you going to go back with him? Risk your life as well?" She asked looking at me with a menacing glare.

"I will." I told her looking her straight in the eyes.

At my acceptance it caused an uproar of people arguing saying I shouldn't go because Lori challenged me. I spoke up saying

"Its not because Lori challenged me. I want to go Merle was my friend. You people have no right to keep me from going to help him." I told them all.

"Eva you cant even shoot a gun were not going to let you go into walker infested streets to say a low life like him." Shane said looking at me

"I can shoot and I have my own gun. Ill be fine Shane." I told him.

"Where the hell did you learn how to shoot!? And how did you get a gun?" He all but practically yelled.

"I asked Daryl to teach me and he gave me a gun because he saw that I didn't need to be sheltered like you want me to." I said

"I wasn't trying to shelter you I was trying to keep you alive. Give me your gun." He said back

"You were trying to keep me alive by keeping me defenseless. And no. Its mine Daryl gave it to me." I said

"Hell I doubt he knew-" He was cut off by a child's scream and hearing Carl yell dad. All at once the group ran toward the yelling Lori and Rick screaming Carls name.

When we reached them we saw what had spooked them. It was a walker eating a deer with bolts sticking out of it. Quickly the men had decapitate the walker. After Daryl came out looking pretty pissed at seeing his deer all eaten up. As he walked back to camp I heard him start yelling for Merle. I looked over to Rick and saw him sigh and walk back to camp.

"Daryl why don't you hold up a bit I have to talk to you about something." Shane said as we neared one of the fire pits.

"About what?" Daryl said

"About your brother." Shane said back "There was a problem in Atlanta."

"He dead?" Daryl asked looking around

"Not sure." Shane answered

"He either is or he aint!" Daryl said loudly

"Looks there's no easy way to say this so I'm just going to come right out and say it." Rick said stepping up

"Who are you?" Daryl asked his eye brows drawn close together.

"Rick Grimes"

"Rick Grimes you got something you wanna tell me?" Daryl said back

"Your brother was a danger to us all. So i handcuffed him on a roof and hooked him to a piece of metal. He's still there." Rick said

Hold n let me process this.." Daryl said while stopping to wipe at his eye "You saying you handcuffed my brother to a roof ad then you left him there!?" He yelled

"Yeah" Rick replied

Daryl's jaw tightened and he threw the squirrels at Rick which he ducked and Shane ran forward and shouldered Daryl making him fall down. Daryl then reached for his knife.

"Daryl stop don't!" I yelled while running toward him from my spot near Shane's jeep. I put my hand on his shoulder but sense he couldn't see me and thinking it was one of the officers he turned and threw his arm out that had the knife. I remembered a blinding pain and I heard yelling and a gun being cocked then nothing.

**AN: So I'm sorry for leaving it at this cliff hanger. But I hoped you all enjoyed. Also I'm sorry for anyone who may have gotten offended in this chapter i was trying to write as Merle. Personally i liked Merle lol. Review thanks guys -Drea**


	5. Chapter 5

***Daryls POV***

No. No. No.

How could I?

I didn't mean to. I didn't see her. I thought it was Rick or Shane. Not her. Oh man let her be ok. Why did I always screw everything up? Cuz I'm Daryl that's why. Nothing good ever happens to me. Now the one thing good is laying on the ground bleeding.

And its my fault.

***Michaels POV***

I ought to kill him. That stupid red neck. Hell I already had my gun pointed at his head why not pull the trigger?

Because Eva would hate me. That's why. For whatever odd reason she had a soft spot for the red neck. I didn't understand it. Hell she had considered his racist ass brother her friend.

I took my eyes off of Daryl for a second to see how Eva was doing, Dale had her head on his lap with a rag pressed against the side of her head trying to stop the blood flow. The rag was quickly filling. To much blood, she was losing to much.

***Ricks POV***

"Get her to her tent!" I yelled

I ran forward and grabbed her legs while Dale quickly picked up her top half. She was so light. I saw Lori run out with some towels. She quickly put them on the right side of her head. Over her wound.

As we laid her down on her sleeping bag I started looking through her medical supplies. She had a lot, some stuff I knew what to do with but hell I wasn't a doctor.

"Lori quick go get Carol." I told her. She nodded and quickly exited the tent.

"Why her?" Shane asked.

"I saw her sewing some clothes maybe she can stich up Eva before she loses more blood." I told him back while getting a small sewing kit that Eva had listed as 'Medical' while the other one was ' non-medical'.

Just then Carol came in looking frantic but quickly took control of the situation grabbing things from Eva's medical pile. She grabbed a roll of gauze, some rubbing alcohol, and took the sewing kit out of my hands. She quickly moved Dale out of the way but had him hold her head to the side so her wound was visible.

The tent was getting to crowded with me Shane, Carol, Dale, and Eva's friend Michael in here.

"Ok people lets clear out I want only Dale and Carol in here. Come on lets go" I told everyone. "Carol do you need anything else?" I asked

"Can you get me a wash cloth and a thing of water? I have to wipe all this blood away." She said her eyes still focused on Eva.

"I'll get it" Lori said quickly leaving.

As we all stepped out side I stopped short when I saw Daryl standing near the tent he was pretty far but I could see from the corner of his eye that he was staring intently at the tent with a look of worry and sadness on his face also a but of anger. I walked over to him and as I neared him he straightened up though he wasn't looking me in the eye. He looked up at me and asked.

"She ok?" in a soft voice

"Carols stitching her up. I think we were able to stop her from losing to much blood but we wont know till she wakes up." I said looking around the camp and seeing nearly the whole camp starting to crowed around the tent.

"It was an accident. You know. I thought it was you or Shane I was pretty pissed I wasn't thinking straight." He said looking at the ground.

"I know. No doubt so does she." I said back to him.

Daryl sighed and rubbed a hand down his face. Just then Carol came out. She looked around the group which mostly consisted of the whole camp till she found me. As she walked over I noticed she had blood still on her hands. I braced my self to hear the she might say. That Eva had lost to much blood and she didn't make it.

"Rick I was able to patch her up the stiches arnt the best but they did slow the bleeding down a lot. She did lose some blood but luckily not as much as we had originally thought. The wound wasn't that deep its just long and goes down from her temple to her jaw that's why there was so much blood." She said her hands fidgeting a little.

"So she's going to be ok?" I asked

"I'm not doctor but from the looks of it she'll be just fine though she'll have a pretty bad headache when she wakes up." Carol said with a small smile.

I sighed and rubbed my eyes. Just then Michael came out saying she's awake. I quickly walked over and let my self in.

***Eva's POV***

Oh man my head hurt.

As I opened my eyes I looked around to see that I was in my tent with Michael looking down at me. His blue eyes wide with worry. Just then Rick came in and with a small smile as he sat down on one of the overturned milk crates.

"How are you feeling Eva?" He asked concern in his voice.

"My head hurts but otherwise I'm fine." I said looking at him and Michael. "Where's Daryl?" I asked.

"He's out side" Rick answered when Michael didn't say anything.

"Can you tell him id like to see him?" I asked Rick.

"Hell no he's not coming anywhere near you!" Michael all but shouted.

I looked at him sharply. I was getting a little upset with him. He had no right to dictate who I could and couldn't see.

"Well Michael I wasn't asking for your permission. I want to see him and don't give me that look you have no right to decide who I can or can not see." I told him an edge in my vice that normally wasn't there.

"Are you kidding me Eva? The guy just cut half of your face! And you want to see him!?" Michael said angrily.

"It was my fault just as much ok? It was stupid of me to go up behind him like that when he was that upset." I said back.

"No your not seeing him." Michael said crossing his arms.

I felt my anger boil. I was normally a calm person but I was also a person who valued my freedom a lot. After my father I never let someone stop me from doing anything.

"You listen here Michael. I do not care what you have to say on the matter I was not asking your permission. Do you understand? You have no right to put your to sense into my life anymore. Leave my tent right now." I said in a quit voice that dripped of my anger. I saw Michael take a step back his eyes wide. I had never shown my anger to him because he had never brought it out in me. But then his face went red and he walked out angrily. I sighed and looked to Rick who's eyes were wide.

"Sorry" I said. "But can you please go get Daryl for me? And tell everyone else I'm ok?" I asked.

"Sure. Um ill be right back." He said. After he got up and left. And a few moments later Daryl came in. He looked awkward but also sad. As he looked at me I saw him grimace.

"Do I look that bad?" I asked with a small smile after he sat down on the crate Rick had just sat.

"What? No. No. You look good um I mean you know Carol did a god job." He said franticly with eyes wide. I laughed a little at his nervous answer. Then I saw his shoulders drop and a small smile appear on his face.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled with his head down.

"Its ok. It was an accident." I said reaching a hand out to him. He flinched a little but let me put my hand on the side of his face. He leaned his head into my palm closing his eyes. When he opened them again I noticed they were red. "Hey" I said gently "I don't blame you." I told him. He just nodded and did something I would have never expected he leaned over and kissed my cheek. As he started to pull away I grabbed his face with both hands and brought his lips to mine. His lips were soft and warm and being this close to him I could smell the woods on him. I loved it. The kiss was slow like heating up water, slowly it started to get hotter and hotter till we were both breathing deeply. When we pulled away we both took a deep breath both of our breathing deep and fast. As I looked at him I saw his pupils were dilated. He looked up to me and a slight blush appeared on his cheeks. I smiled.

"You should go get Merle." I said. He looked up at me and nodded his head. He got up and started to walk out but before he left he turned to look at me and gave me a small smile then walked out.

. . .

It had been a couple of hours sense the group had left. I was still in bed and was slowly going insane. Many people visited me. But none could stay long because of the chores that were still going on around camp. I knew I should have stayed still but I wanted to do something so I started organizing my medical supplies. I even put some in a small bag for when ever we decided to leave so I could have them on hand.

Night had just fallen when I heard the moans and the chocking scream. I walked out of my tent with my small revolver in my hand. I looked to the left and noticed Carol and Eds tent shaking. I cocked my head a little confused as to why it would be moving and those sounds coming from it. I knew Carol was at the fish fry with everyone else. As I walked closer I saw two shadows in the tent but before I could open the tent flap I heard a piercing scream. I quickly ran back to my tent and grabbed that small bag to go and help who ever was screaming. But I never got there. After I had the pack on my shoulders a walker came up right next to me arms extended mouth open getting ready to grab me.

I quickly lifted up my gun and pulled he trigger. His brain went everywhere. Unfortunately because of the shot it alerted my presence to the other walkers near me about five came after me I knew I wasn't going to be able to take them all down so I turned and ran into the forest as fast as I could. I could feel wetness on my neck and I realized my stiches must have opened. But still I ran and with the fresh blood I attracted more walkers. By the time I had stopped the sun was peaking over the sky line. I had no idea how far I ran nor where I was. I leaned against a tree and slid down panting. I took my pack of my shoulders and took out the small bottle of water I had packed in case I needed to wash blood off of something. As I took a drink I looked around. I knew nothing about living in the woods. I had no survival skills. I had no supplies except what was in my pack.

My pack constided of a roll of gauze, rubbing alcohol, a needle and thread, 5 bullets, the small water bottle, and a bottle of aspirin.

After about an hour of resting I got up and continued walking looking for anything that could lead me back to a road.

I had been walking for about 2 hours when I stumbled upon a small cabin. it looked like an old hunting cabin. As I walked up I pulled my gun out. I didn't think I could kill a human but still what might be inside may or may not be a human. As I opened the door I noticed it was completely empty of human or walker life.

The cabin was small all one room. To the left was a small kitchen with 4 cabinets. To the right was a small bed and a chest. As I started to look through the Kitchen I was able to find 5 cans of beans and 2 cans of meat. In the bedroom chest was a hiker backpack way bigger then mine and surprisingly a crossbow. It was smaller then Daryl's and very lighter. There was even a quiver of bolts next to it. My guess is this kind of crossbow was made for a child. Good thing I was small like one I thought as I loaded it and put it over my shoulder. I quickly packed my supplies into the hiker pack. In the small closet door was a leather jacket and another hand gun with a whole box of bullets. the jacket fit me perfectly. As I loaded everything up I noticed that there was a fine layer of dust covering everything from the cans to the jacket which led me to believe there was no on coming back for this stuff. I ate one can of beans in the cabin took a small nap and left hoping to make it back to camp.

. . .

***Daryl's POV***

Shit. Where the hell was this girl.

Last night after the walkers attacked the camp I had noticed Eva wasn't amongst the group of survivors but the next morning we didn't find her body either. I had walked around her tent hoping to pick up her trail and see where she ran off to. When I was able to get it I had tracked her down the mountain with what looked like about 4 or 5 walkers chasing her. Unfortunately the trail went cold when she ran through a small stream. I spent the rest of the morning and well into the afternoon and night trying to find it again when the sun started to go down I had to head back. I was pissed off and worried as hell. As I neared camp Rick made the announcement that the group was going to be heading to the CDC the next morning. Both Michael and I had tried to convince Rick the Eva may come back and we shouldn't leave till we found her. But he had shut us down saying she had probably wasn't going to come back. I got mad but before I could punch him in his mouth Michael did he missed but still. As Shane tackled him he said very loudly that even if she as alive she was to far from camp and with her wound she might not even be alive. That had stopped Michael. And me. Because no matter what Shane and Rick were probably right. Still it hurt like hell to have to pack up her stuff when Michael wasn't looking I quickly grabbed her little stuffed dog. I don't know why I did I just wanted it. All of her medical supplies went with Lori, Rick, Carol, And there kids in there car. As we were getting ready to leave I put a note on the red car that Rick had left for that man named Morgan. Except I left one for Eva telling her where to find us.

***Eva's POV***

It took nearly 3 days but I was able to make it back to camp only to come across and empty camp ground. I felt my eyes fill with tears at seeing it completely empty the whole group gone. The only thing I found was a note left to me and some guy named Morgan. The group was going to the CDC. As I sat down in the dirt and looked at the map I realized this wasn't Michaels had writing. I shook my head and let the tears fall freely now. I was all alone. When I stopped crying I stood up and adjusted my pack, put the map in my back pocket and started walking.

I was going to the CDC.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Hey guys so I want you guys to give me ideas on where to take this story. Tell me things you would like to see happen. This story has no outline I don't know yet if its going to follow the show.**

I had been walking for 2 hours when I finally came across a car that would still run and had gas. As I started driving I checked the map that one of the campers had left for me. By the looks of it I would be able to make it to the CDC in a couple of hours. The trip was pretty uneventful all the way up until I saw someone walking or rather limping along the side of the road I slowed to a stop because I recognized the shirt and pants I had seen them the day of the walker attack.

It was Jim.

As I stared at walker Jim I felt my eyes fill with tears. I had liked Jim, he was a good man. When Merle had be left behind Jim had been the one who took ever taking care of the cans around the perimeter of camp.

I was debating what to do. Should I kill him? I knew if I had turned I wouldn't want to live like that but I didn't know if I could kill someone I once knew. After a few mins of debating with my self I knew I couldn't leave him like this. So I reached over the passenger seat where I had put the crossbow I had found in the woods it was already loaded so I opened the door and got out. As I took aim walker Jim turned and started walking toward me. I felt a tear slide down my cheek as I pulled the trigger and sent the bolt flying through into his head. I closed my eyes as I heard the body hit the floor. Tears now flowed freely.

I walked up and took the bolt out of his head. As I cleaned it off I turned and walked back into the car and started driving.

***Daryl's POV***

My head fucken' hurt. I had the worst hangover sense the world went to shit. As I walked out of my room I smelled eggs cooking. When I entered the kitchen everyone was seated at the table and T-Dog was filling peoples plates up with scrambled eggs. I sat down as I excepted a plate of my own. I turned down the aspirin Lori offered me and dug in.

About 5 mins later Dr. Edmond Jenner, the only doctor left came in to the kitchen everyone got quite and Dale spoke up.

"Doctor I don't mean to slam you with questions first thing but.." he said

"But you will anyway." He said while poring his coffee.

"We didn't come here for the eggs." Andrea said out loud and all conversation around the table stopped.

"Right follow me." Jenner said and started walking us all back to the big room he had showed us yesterday.

" Give me play back of TS-19" Jenner said to the computer women VI I'm assuming.

"Play back of TS-19" the voice said and the big screen lit up with 4 different boxes and lines of writing going down fast. Jenner started talking but I wasn't paying attion I was focused on the screen. What looked like an ex-ray of a brain came up then. There were little tiny lights going on in it. I had no idea what was going on.

I'm sure Eva would. She probably would have understood everything Jenner was saying. Damn I missed her.

I shook my head to stop thinking of her. Hell the girl had already invaded my dreams last night.

As Jenner continued to talk I saw on the screen the test subject get a hole blown through its head. After it felt like everything happened really fast us being locked in the big computer room getting ready to blow up. What I didn't expect to happen was the screens alerting Jenner to movement out side. As we all looked up I saw her. Walking up to the CDC with what looked like a crossbow in her hands.

"No!" I yelled running up to Jenner demanding he let us go.

I couldn't let her die, not like this. I could hear Michael yelling for Eva to run as if she could hear us. When Jenner wouldn't budge I ran back to the metal door and started pounding on it with the axe.

***Eva's POV***

I had made it to the CDC. The smell around the place was horrible. I had my crossbow up and was looking around for walkers. The groups cars were still there so that means they were still inside.

The entrance doors were blocked by a metal slider. I shook it and looked up to the camera above the door. If the group was inside I was hoping they could see me and let me in. After a few more shakes of the door I walked to the side and started looking through the big windows. It was then I saw the group. All of them except Amy and Moralas. But I saw Michael and Daryl I felt a smile spread across my face but it quickly fell when I noticed them running toward the window with axes. Daryl was the first to make it. He started making hand gestures at me telling me to turn around and run. I didn't understand why they were trying to break the window. But I stepped back when I saw Shane lift his shot gun and point it at the window I watched as the window didn't break then Rick came up he showed me the grenade in his hand and mouthed the word run.

I felt the blast and heard the window breaking from behind the tree I had ducked behind. As I looked over I saw Daryl run toward me and grab my elbow and take off to the line of cars.

"Daryl what's going on?" I yelled while running with him he quickly took out a few walkers.

"The whole place is gonna blow, Come on! Run!" He yelled

When we got to his truck he threw me in the cabin and jumped on top of me covering my body with his own. It was then I heard the explosion and the truck shook with the sheer force of it. My ears were ringing by the time we sat up and saw the destruction of the CDC. Our last hope gone.

**AN: So this chapter is pretty short sorry guys. But hey leave a review. Thanks :) Also i went back and fixed up chapter one so can you guys go back and read it and tell me if its better?**


	7. Chapter 7

We had driven to what looked like used to be a small park when Rick had pulled the RV over. He got out and we all followed suit. As Daryl and I walked up to the rest of them Michael came running up to me hugging me tightly.

"We thought you were dead." He said while hugging me. I hugged him back just as tightly and nodded.

When Michael finally let me go Lori walked up to me smiling and gave me a light hug, after everyone else followed suit except Shane, he just gave me a nod.

"How did you find us?" Rick asked looking at me.

"Someone left me a note next to Morgan's note.." I told him looking around at everyone wondering who had left it. I knew it wasn't Michael who had it wasn't his handwriting. But everyone looked equally as confused except one person.

Daryl hung back leaning up against the RV looking down. When he looked up he met my eyes then quickly looked away. Back at the ground. It must have been him.

"Were sorry we thought you were dead. If we had known you were alive we would have stayed" Rick said.

"It ok Rick I understand I thought I as gonna die too."

"How did you make it?" Lori asked.

"When I had finally stopped running I came across a small hunting cabin. Was pretty old had some food in it. After I left to go find my way back to camp." I told them "took me 3 days."

"That where you got the crossbow?" Daryl asked walking up.

"Yeah, its light my guess made for a smaller person." I told him.

"You know how to use that thing?" Rick asked looking at me skcpekly.

"Yea Daryl taught me." I told him with a small smile. Rick nodded and turned away to address the rest of the group. I looked over at Daryl, he gave me a slight nod then turned to listen to Rick.

Rick and Shane decided we were going head to Fort Benning. It took about an hour to get everything situated. We decided we were going to leave behind Shane's jeep, T-dogs van, and Daryl's truck, he was switching to his bike. Before we left I walked up to Daryl.

"Hey" I said with a small smile.

"Hey" he said back.

"I wanted to thank you for leaving me the note. I wouldn't have made it here with out it." I said.

"No problem." He said with a slight shrug.

"Well I was wondering why don't you put your bike it the back of my truck and ride with me?" I asked

He looked up at me with his eyebrows drawn. I could tell he was thinking about it because he kept on looking toward my truck then back at his bike.

"Your friend doesn't like me much." He said after a few seconds.

"Well Michael is going to have to get over it. Its my truck and I'd like you to ride with me." I told him

He looked down, kicking he dirt. When he looked up he asked.

"Why don't you ditch the truck and ride with me?" He asked with a little bit of fear in his eyes.

I had to think about it. I looked over at my truck. the only thing I had left of my old life. But the more I thought about it the more I realized that that life wasn't mine and would never be again. I was a different person. So I told Daryl yes.

I walked back to my truck and took out the few belongings I had in it. Luckily my pack had been on my back when I had left the car to go up to the CDC it was now in the RV with most everyone else's belongings.

As I was walking back Micheal came up to me.

"Hey what are you doing? Thought you were going to take the truck?" He asked

"I was but I'm going to go ride with Daryl on his bike." I told him as I opened the glove department.

"Are you sure that's safe? I mean you've never even ridden a motorcycle before." He said with his brows drawn.

"Michael i'll be fine." I said.

"Look I don't trust the guy ok? Maybe you should just stick to ridding in your truck." He said.

"Well it doesn't matter if you trust him or not I do. And I'm ridiing with him." I said back.

"What the hell has gotten into you? You were never like this before." He said with a bit of anger in his voice. "And how could you leave that truck behind? Your dad gave it to you."

"That truck is part of my old life. Im not the same girl anymore. And who cares if I've changed. Everyone has." I said back to him. He gave an exsasperated sigh and walked away. I shook my head and walked over to Daryl. He already had my crossbow on the back of the bike next to his own. I handed him the little belongings I had had in the truck which consisted of a small pocket knife that had belong to my birth father, my step mothers watch, and my little brothers key ring he had left in there the last time we had been together. Daryl stored them in the right pack of the saddle bag and told me that it was mine while the left on was his. Rick walked over to us, gave me a nod then addressed Daryl.

"You going to be ok with leading?" He asked. Daryl gave him a jerky nod and Rick nodded back.

"Ok then were heading out. Be safe, both of you." He looked at me and gave me a small smile before walking away.

I looked over at Daryl and gave him a smile as he handed me a helmet.

"Where's yours?" I asked when I noticed he got on the bike without one.

"Don't got one." he said back as he started the bike. I wanted to argue with him but I knew it would be useless so I climbed onto the back and wrapped my arms around his waist. As he started off I rested my cheek on his back. I felt him sigh as we rode out of Atlanta.

**AN: Sorry took so long guys been sick and had a bit of writers block. But here you go! I'm going to update again tomorrow or later on tonight so that's why its so short.**


	8. Chapter 8

***Daryl's POV***

Riding with someone was very different. Having Eva with me was different. I knew we needed to talk about what had happened the last time I had saw her. But hell I was never good at talking. I didn't even know what I wanted from her. I knew I didn't want her with no one else. But could I be her what? Boyfriend? Shit I was never good with women only time I ever came in contact with them was when I needed to. I was usually drunk and uncaring about how I treated them. Would normally use them then leave them. I didn't know jack shit about being a boyfriend.

My thoughts were interrupted when we came to a blocking of cars. I was able to maneuver the bike through it and find a clean way till I noticed the RV had stopped I turned back about and told the old man to follow me. I was so focused on making through that I didn't hear the pop that Eva did because she tapped me on my stomach. I turned and saw the RV smoking. I parked the bike and felt Eva get off. As I turned I saw her already walking over to no doubt ask if she could do anything to help. I followed after I saw Rick walk up.

"I said it didn't I say it? A thousand time dead in the water." Dale said looking at the smoking RV.

"Problem Dale?" Shane said. What a dumb ass I thought it was obvious that the RV wasn't gonna run.

"Just a small matter of being stuck in the middle of no where with no hope of..." Dale trailed off as I started looking though the back of a car. I had seen something I thought Eva might like. It had been a pink bag only when I pulled it out I realized it was meant for a little girl not her so I quickly dropped it.

"Ok that was dumb." He said after a short min.

"Cant find a radiator hose here." Shane said.

"There's a whole bunch of stuff we can find." I said as I dug some more stuff from the car.

"Syphon some fuel from these cars for a start." T-Dog said.

"Maybe some water?" Carol put in while holding her little girl Sophia.

"Its like were grave robbers" I heard Eva say. When I looked up I saw her looking down at the ground with her brows drawn. Her friend Michael stepped forward and got in her face a little. He whispered something no one else could hear but I could sense she was pretty close to me.

"What happened thought you weren't the same girl anymore huh?" He said in a almost mocking way. I saw her face flash red and hurt rise in her eyes. I stepped forward and grabbed the back of his shirt.

"Why don't you go make you self useful and leave her alone." I Said quietly but deadly in his ear. I heard him swallow and saw him nod. Shane stepped up then and looked at me.

"Come on no need for that lets look around." He said not turning around till I let the little pussy go.

Michael walked away his face red giving me a dirty look. I turned to Eva and saw her looking at me with gratitude in her eyes.

"Thank you" She whispered.

"Come on why don't you go watch over the kids with Lori and Carol?" I suggested she nodded and gave me a small smile I walked away over to Lori.

After about 5 mins I looked over at her and saw that she had gotten her crossbow from the bike. She wasn't digging through the cars like everyone else. But I saw her talking happily to Sophia. The little girl just smiled at her and laughed when Eva made a joke. When Carol heard her laugh I saw her pop her head up from a car she was looking through and smiled at the sight of her little girl happy. I even cracked a half smile damn girl could get anyone to be happy. I shook my head as I opened one of the suitcases in the car I was looking in. As I opened it I realized it was a girls. There was pink and other bright color shit everywhere. I was just starting to close it when something caught my eye I reached into the mesh pocket and pulled out a pink hunting knife. I was long and pretty sharp for having been a girls and being a ridiculous color. I knew Eva didn't have a knife and she could really use one so I grabbed it and put it in my back pocket. I was pretty positive shed like it, hell shed love it because it was pink alone.

***Eva's POV***

I didn't look through the cars like everyone else, I was happy just keeping an eye on the kids, they were always in my sight per Lori and Carols request. It made me happy knowing that they trusted me enough. I looked over at Daryl in time to see him put something pink in his back pocket. I was so busy on wondering what it could have been I didn't notice Rick running up to us until he grabbed me and pulled me under the car with him.

"What's going on?" I whispered frantically at him.

"Walkers a whole heard of them." He said back just as quietly.

I heard them then. The moans and shuffling of feet. They hadn't walked past our hiding spot yet but I could smell them the sent of rotting flesh was horrible. I lifted my head and saw Carol and Lori under another car. Lori had her hands over Carols mouth. Both were watching the children. Who were a few cars away from Rick and I. I turned my head to look for Daryl and saw him looking at me from under a walker. He gave me a slight nod which I returned.

The walkers came to the sides of our car then and I could feel the panic rise up the my chest again. It was the same feeling I had had the last night at the quarry. I quickly looked up at Daryl and he was looking at me still I kept eye contact with him through the whole time the heard was walking around us. Looking at him helped ease the panic. When the sides were clear. I looked over at Rick and he gave me a slight smile and sighed as he looked up at Lori. I smiled as I looked over at Daryl and saw him give me a small half smile as he pushed the walker off him. I was getting ready to get out when I heard Sophia give a small scream I looked over and saw two walkers trying to get at her. She managed to get out of the other end of the car and run into the woods. I grabbed my crossbow and crawled out after Rick and together me and him ran in the woods after Sophia and the walkers. I had been able to take down one. Rick led the other one away after hiding me and Sophia he told me to go back to camp with her while he led the other one off. After he left and was gone for a about a min or so Sophia and I walker out and started walking back toward the highway. I smelled it before I heard it. The walker came out from behind he tree and Sophia screamed and grabbed her and pushed her behind me as the walker reached for me I was able to take it down only to have 2 more take its place. I didn't have a knife and a gun would cause to much noise so I grabbed Sophia's hand and started running with her away from the walkers and unfortunately away from the high way.

**Thanks to you guys who wish me to feel better I really appreciate it and I feel much better:) Well here you go. Drop by and leave me a review? Thanks**


	9. Chapter 9

***Daryl's POV***  
>Damn little doc. Always getting her self in fucken trouble. I thought as I was walking back to the forest with Rick. I understood why she went after him but shit we had just got her back and she was fucking missing again! As Rick<p>

retold the story of how he had told them to hide I started looking around hoping to pick up the girls trail.

I stopped and looked up when Shane made the comment how they had just had a run in with some walkers and they probably weren't thinking straight. I spoke up before anyone else surprising them.

"Eva's been around walkers and she's been in the woods on her own before. There had to have been a pretty serious reason why they didn't head back." I told Shane who just nodded.

As I looked back down I was relived to finally find there trail.

"Well they listened to you looks like there trail leads back to the highway. Come on let's follow it." I said as I stepped up onto the bank and started following there trail.

We had been walking for about 20 mins when we found the walker with the bolt in its head. We all stopped as I pulled the bolt out.

"Its Eva's. She must have taken it down." I said as I started looking around more and saw about 2 other pairs of tracks. "Looks like there were more. Probably why there trail gos off that way." I said as I pointed in the direction the girls had run.

"Alright well Daryl and I will keep tracking them why don't you and Glenn head back and tell everyone were on there trail." Rick said looking at Shane.

"Alright I'll keep them busy." Shane said and gave Rick a nod as he and Glenn walked off.

I looked back down to Eva's bolt sighed and started walking again. While walking I was finally able to think things through. I liked Eva in a way I didn't quite understand. She was sweet and smart. Hell she deserved to have the perfect husband and the white picket fence and all that shit. But for some reason she wanted me. I mean I'm pretty sure she did that kiss the last time we were together proved that. It was a good thing she had been the one to make the first move I don't think I'd have been able to.

She's strong I'm sure she's fine I thought for what felt like the hundredth time.

I knew Merle liked her. He had been out checking the perimeter back at the quarry and when he cane back his face was pale and for once he wasn't talking. I had tryed to get what was wrong out of him for awhile but he refused to say anything. And when the little doc came by he went from being slumped down to sitting straight up. She had come to get out laundry and for the first and only time in my life I heard my brother tell someone thank you. I remember her eyes widening for a moment and then she smile and said you welcome. After Merle was always sweet to her in his own way. She would always laugh whenever he made a joke even if it was dirty. I had thought for sure my brother was trying to fuck her but when he made no move it confused me. I didn't think my brother could be nice to someone just cuz he wanted to. But he was to her. Every. Damn. Time.

Shit. I thought. Their trail was starting to become faint.

"The trails gone." Rick said behind me.

"Nah its not gone just faint. They went through here." I said as I pointed through a few trees the girls had gone through.

"How can you tell? I don't see anything" he said looking hard at the ground.

"You want a lesson in tracking or do you want to find them?" I said back. he stood quite aafter that.

Wed been walking for awhile when Rick spoke up again.

"So you and Eva are pretty close huh?" He said.

"What's it to you?" I said back with a bit of anger in my voice. I didn't like people poking in my business.

"Nothing was just asking." He said back. "You know she was the one who convinced me to go back for your brother. Even took a yelling from Lori about it. Was going to head back with us to." He said looking around. His confession had made me stop and stare at him. I didn't know any of that.

"Only cause she cares about everyone." I said with a shrug of my shoulders.

"Nah I don't think that was it. She really did put up a good case for Merle. Said she didn't understand why people didn't try to see past his flaws." Rick said looking at me now. "that's why I asked if you guys were close. Most people wouldn't talk about someone like that unless they really knew the person. But from the looks of things Eva must have been pretty good at reading people."

Before I could respond we heard the snap of a twig. Both of us ducked down and started to slowing walk toward the noise. I spelt the walker before I aw him. A man with stringy hair and what looked to be an old suit of him. I made some movements with my hand that told Rick to go in front while I went behind. He nodded and went off in a jog. As he got I front of the walker he wiseled and the walker made a sound between a groan and a roar. Rick gave me a nod and my bolt went flying through its head.

I walker over and pulled my bolt out of his head.

"Sophia! Eva!" I yelled. I looked down and saw Rick put on his gloves and lift the walkers hand up.

"What are you looking for?" I asked.

"Skin under the finger nails." He said putting the hand down. I leaned in closer as he flipped the body over.

"It feed recently." He said as he put his fingers in the walkers mouth. "There flesh caught in its teeth." He said as he pulled some of it out.

"Yeah but what kind of flesh?" I asked as I looked at his hand.

"Only one way to know for sure." Rick said as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his knife. He ripped open the walkers shirt and flipped the blade of his knife open.

"Here ill do it." I said as I stepped over the walkers body. "How many kills you skinned and gutted in your life, anyway mines sharper." I said as I pulled my knife free.

I moved my leg back and bended my other knee as I lifted my hands up both hands on my knife. With a swift plunge my knife went into the walkers stomach. I continued to hack at it. It smelled awful a cross between rotting meat and eggs gone bad.

"Here comes the bad part" I said right before both my hands went into the walkers stomach. I started pulling out guns and organs. I put my left hand deeper and was able to feel his stomach.

"Yeah hos had a big meal not long ago I feel it in there." I said right before I pulled the stomach out and put it on the ground between Rick and I.

"Step back I got this." Rick said looking down at the stomach. He cut it open and put his knife in it and started pulling out black shit.

"ughhhh" He said as he wrinkled his nose at the smell. He pulled out another hand full and looked at it as I put my knife under the skull of what looked like a squiral. Upon closer look it was a woodchuck.

"This gross basterd had himself a woodchuck for lunch" I said and I flung the skull away. Rick sigh and said

"At least we know."

"Least we know" I said back as I grabbed my bolt.  
>. . .<p>

After a few more hours of looking around Rick decided it was time to head back it was getting to be sundown soon.

As we walked up the hill back to the highway the first people I saw were Carol and Michael both standing side by side at the railing. When Carol saw us her face crumpled.

"You didn't find her?" She said.

"Their trail went cold, we'll pick it up again first light." Rick said

"You cant leave my daughter out there. To spend the night." She said close to tears.

"allAt least she's not alone. Ok look Eva knows how to live in the woods remember she did it before." I said as I got closer.

"Yeah but that time she had supplies." Michael said as he looked at me thought slit eyes.

"Look she aint weak and we all know shed give her own life before letting anything happen to Sophia." I said back. Stepping closer to him but Carols next question stopped me.

"Is that blood?" she said pointing at my leg. I looked down and sure enough there was blood from when we had taken down.

"We took down a walker." Rick said putting his hands out when she started freaking out again. "Look there were no signs that it was near Sophia."

"How can you know that?" Andrea said stepping forward a little. Rick looked back at me and I stepped forward.

"We cut the sona bitch open." I said. "made sure."

Carol put her hands on her face as she sat down on the railing.

"Carol, everyone here knows that Eva wont let anything happen to her. Your girls not alone out there remember that." Lori said as she put her arm around her back. Carol nodded and looked at Rick.

"How could you even leave them out there?" She said.

"Carol the walker was on us I couldn't let Eva come with me and leave Sophia alone in case any other walkers found her. I had to draw it away." Rick said going on his knees in front of her.

"Yeah and its because of you she's lost again except this time Sophia is with her." Michael said angrily.

"Hey!" I yelled. "At least Rick did something while you were what? Hiding. I didn't see you out there with us. Trying to help find her. Why don't you shut your fucking fat mouth and walk away before I beat your ass." Michaels face went beat red as he turned and walked away. I looked down at Rick and saw him give me a brief nod before he got up and walked down the highway.

Dammit Eva I thought as I turned to look into the woods where the hell are you?

***Eva's POV***

My lugs burned and legs hurt. My stiches had ripped open so blood was pouring down my face. The warm weight in my hand was what kept me going.

I could hear them. I could smell them. More of them now. To many. I couldn't take down that many. We were going to die. No not her I couldn't let them take her. So many.

My lugs are on fire now and I cant feel my legs but still I keep going for the warm weight in my hand keeps me moving.

**Review and tell me what you think:)**


	10. Chapter 10

**So this chapter is going to cover a few days time because I feel like the story is moving a to slow. Enjoy.**

***Daryls POV***

A whole damn day and nothing. No trail. No sign. Fucking not a damn thing! The woods were my turf I knew them like the back of my hand and still I couldn't find one thing to lead us back to the girls.

A whole damn day. Carl got shot and the group was split. T-Dog is sick and no Eva to help him. We didn't even have medical supplies. All of Evas old ones were left at the CDC. What little she had in her pack wasn't enough. So now T-Dog and Glenn were at that farm where Carl was. The only ones left here at the highway were me, Dale, Michael, Carol, and Andrea. At the moment Andrea and I were walking the highway hoping to give the girls some light to find there way back. Andrea was mostly silent. Which was good I didn't fell like talking anyway. Andrea and I walked into the woods we'd been walking for about 5 mins when she spoke up.

"You really think were going to find Sophia and Eva?" She asked looking at the ground. I looked over at her and scoffed.

"You got that look on your face same as everyone else. What the hell is wrong with you people? We just started looking." I said back.

"Well do you?" She asked looking back at me.

"It aint the mountains of Tibet. Its Georgia. They could be holed up in a farm house somewhere. People get lost . It happens all the time." I said.

"But Eva... I mean do you really think she can take care of Sophia? Alone?" She asked looking over at me. "Calm down just think about it. ok I know you and Eva have something going on. But really Daryl think about it. She survived on her own before but she was alone, she didn't have someone to look after. That adds a whole lot of stuff on her sholders."

I stopped walking and looked over at her.

"Why the fuck you people keep thinking shes weak? Because shes small? What? She took down a walker you know and earlier today if I remember you freaked the fuck out because of one. By those standers I say shes tougher then the lot of us." I spat back at her and started walking again. I wasn't going to admit it but the more people kept doubting her it was starting to make me think twice about her ability to survive and I fucking hated it.

. . .

The next morning after we made the sign for Sophia and Eva the 5 of us left the highway behind.

We drove up to a big white house already in front were Glenn, Rick, Lori, T-Dog, and Shane. With them were some people I never seen before. There was a brunette, two blondes a teen boy and a old man. I parked my bike and got off as Dale walked up to Rick.

"How is he?" He asked

"He'll pull through" Lori said back. "Thanks to Hershel and his people."

"And Shane" Rick said looking over at Shane "We'd have lost Carl if not for him."

I looked over at Shane and saw him in clothes that were really to big for him. He just looked around at everyone then looked back down at the ground. Dale walked up to Rick and hugged him, after it became like a hugging fest. I stayed back leaning against my bike watching everyone.

"Howd it happen?" Dale asked after pulling away from Rick.

"Hunting accident. That's all just a stupid accident." Rick answered.

After introductions were made Rick said that the man who helped Shane and shot Carl his funeral would be soon and asked us all to join. I didn't want to but went anyway.

One by one each of his family added a stone to the mans grave site. As Shane retold the story of how he died I knew right away he was lying. But of course everyone around here would be to stupied to realize it. Except maybe Dale. He was looking at Shane with the same way I was feeling. Shane killed Otis.

. . .

We've been at the Greens farm for 2 days. The first day I had went out on my own. I didn't find them. But I found what looked like to be a spot where someone small was sleeping. The next day everyone had started out looking near that place. I went out on my own again only this time I barrowed one of the horses.

As I rode my mind kept wandering back to Eva. We didn't talk much back at the quarry. Well I didn't talk much she was always talking to me trying to get to know me every time she came to get mine and Merles laundry, whenever she would invite us to eat with the group. I always stayed quite. But now that I looked back on it I was always watching the little doc. Seeing how quickly she made everyone at camp fall in love with her. Made everyone care. I didn't know it at the time but she had been watching me too. I'd often catch her staring at me. I never really thought about it before.

After about an hour of ridding we came past this small lake I got off the horse and went and sat down by the waters edge. I pulled me knees up and put my arms over my knees as I looked out over the water. I did something I never done in the woods before. I let my guard down. I started thinking about Eva.

_"Hi" a soft voice said. I looked up and saw the little girl Merle was talking to last night. Though in the sun I could now see that it was a women. A pretty one at that too. She was short with black hair that reached down to her waist, what looked to be green eyes, and pale skin. Though her skin was a little flushed from the heat. _

_"What do you want?" I asked I saw her eyes go a little wide at my rudeness but I didn't really care. _

_"Oh um nothing I just wanted to introduce my self. I'm Eva." She said sticking her hand out. I looked at her hand then at her before I shook her hand. It was tiny and small with soft skin. _

_"Daryl" I said back. _

_"Its nice to meet you." She said with a smile. _

_I just grunted and went back to cleaning my bolts. From my line of vision I could see her little feet shuffle. _

_"Um well I just wanted to tell you if your ever you know hurt you can come over to my tent. I'm a doctor of sorts" She said. I just nodded and kept on cleaning hoping shed get the hint to leave eventually she did and I saw her little feet walk away. _

That was when we first met. I sighed and laid down on my back as another memory washed over me.

_"Come on sweet thing I know you don't only want my laundry. No one else but you come here for it makes me think you want something more." I shook my head and got up as I heard Merle pestering the little doc again. He always did that though I had to admit it was pretty entertaining to watch the little docs reactions. If the joke was really dirty shed blush really red and make a awkward laugh. But if not shed throw one back at him. I was pretty amusing because her jokes were never very dirty. But even as she said them shed blush. _

_I walked out of the tent to see the little doc roll her eyes and sigh at my brother. _

_"Come on Merle just give me your guys' laundry" She said. _

_"You want both our laundry huh? Naughty girl" Merle said with a smile. I saw the little doc blush and look away. _

_"Merle cut your shit out and give her the clothes already." I said as I handed over my dirty clothes. Merle just sighed and gave her his as well. She turned to me and said thank you then walked away joining Andrea and Carol. Though I knew Merle was just messing with her I did wonder why it was always her who came and got our stuff never any of the other women. _

I found out later on that it was because she was the only who even remotely liked me and Merle enough to do our laundry.

_She was at it again making everyone laugh. I thought as I watched the little doc from my tent. It was dinner time and everyone else was sitting around the fire pit laughing at something the little doc had said. A part of me wished that I could hear what she said. I never laughed anymore. Also a part of me what pretty interested in what the little doc was like. Another roar of laughter went up as she said something else. I caught my self smiling at the sight of it. I quickly whipped the smile of my face when Merle asked what I was smiling about I just shrugged it off and went into my tent. _

I opened my eyes and realized they were a bit blurry. I hadn't realized it before but now looking back I could see I had started to fall for the little doc before I taught her how to shoot. It had happened while I was watching her. Seeing how she was.

I sighed and got up whipping at my eyes. I got back on the horse and started looking again.

I came past this cliff I got off the horse and looked down it seeing the small pond and something else in the water floating at first I thought it was a walker and was getting ready to turn away but stopped when I saw something orange. I squinted my eyes and saw the shape of a crossbow and a few bolts. I felt my heart stop when I recognized the bolts. There was only one person I knew who had those. I turned and looked at the body again and I could see another bolt sticking out of the owners side.

I found Eva. I also found the walkers that were starting to near her drawn by the fresh blood.

. . .

***Ricks POV***

I rubbed my eyes as I sat down in camp. I looked around at the group and saw how relaxed they were. I really hoped Hershel changed his mind about letting us stay. I tipped my head back as I felt the cool breeze wash over my face.

"Rick! Rick!" My eyes snapped open as I looked up to see Daryl ridding in with something wrapped in his left arm. He stopped the horse right in front of me and upon closer look I saw that it was a body.

"Daryl who is that?" I asked. The face was covered in dirt and blood. It was then I recognized who is was. It was Eva.

"Who the hell you think genius? Come on help me get her to Hershel she's hurt pretty bad and freezing."

"Glenn quick go get Hershel!" I yelled at Glenn who quickly got up and started running to the house. "Come on Daryl lets get her to the house." I said and we both took off. When we reached the steps of the house Hershel came out took one look at Eva and started giving orders to everyone. Hershel lead us to a room on the bottom floor and quickly threw the covers off the bed before Daryl laid her down. I saw then that he clothes were soaked.

Hershel listened to her heart beat while Maggie checked her temp.

"Dad its really low." She said looking at her father.

"Daryl how long has she been this wet?" Hershel asked without looking up.

"I don't know I found her in a small pond. She wasn't awake." Daryl said from the doorway. Hershel nodded.

"Maggie get me the scissors were gonna have to cut her clothes off. She's becoming hypothermic." He said as he rolled Eva on to her side.

"No need let me." Daryl said as he pulled his knife out. Daryl quickly walked behind Eva and put his knife under the bottom of her shirt before Hershel could say anything. With one firm jerk of his arm I heard the fabric rip. But before he could finish he stopped and stepped back and his knife fell to the floor. I moved in front of him and looked to see what made him act like this. What I saw made my stomach turn. All long her back were scars. I looked over at Daryl and saw his ghost white face.

***Daryl's POV***

Why the hell would she have those? I thought as I looked down on her sleeping form. After we had gotten Eva completely unclothed except for her under clothes we had found more of them they extended all the way down to her legs where there was a really big scar on her right shin. It made sense now why she always wore long sleeves and pants. Its why I never took my shirt off. But still I didn't understand why she would have them. I mean who the hell would want to hurt her?

Hershel had patched her up and put hot water packs all around her about 2 hours ago. She still hadn't woken up but she was shivering pretty bad now. At first it freaked me out but then Hershel explained that it was a good thing because it meant her body was starting to try and warm its self up.

There was a knock at the door and Carol stuck her head in.

"Hey" She said with a slight smile. She walked in with a tray in her hand. "I figured you were hungry so I brought you some dinner" She said as she set the tray down.

"Nah I aint gonna eat till she does" I said as I looked at Eva.

"Ok" Carol said as she picked the tray back up. " has she woken at all?" she asked

"Nah Hershel said he doesn't think she will till tomorrow." I said.

"Ok then goodnight Daryl" She said as she walked away.

Hershel was right Eva didn't wake up till late the next day. When she first opened her eyes I quickly called Rick and Shane in.

"Hey Eva good to see you again." Rick said as he stood at the end of her bed. Her green eyes were wide as she looked around but she focused on Ricks face when he spoke to her. Then her face crumbled and she started crying.

"What's wrong you in pain?" I asked as I sat next to her in bed. She shook her head and mumbled something.

"What was that?" Rick asked leaning closer. She took a deep breath and spoke what she said was perfectly clear.

"I lost Sophia" She said before new wave a tears over took her.

**Thanks to all who reviewed I love it when you do:) Let me know what you think? Also I have a sound track to this story if anyone wants to know that songs just look at my bio.:)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Warning. Mentions of child abuse. **

***Eva's POV***

"I lost Sophia" I said as a new wave a tears overcame me. I could hear Rick and Shane talking though I couldn't make out the words. My side was starting to hurt from crying. I felt a hand slide over mine when I opened my eyes I saw that it was Daryl. I knew he was in the room but I thought it had more to do with getting information out of me. But whether it was for that or something else I still gripped his hand tightly. I had missed him while I was gone. I had missed everyone.

"Eva were going to need you to tell us exactly what happened when you lost Sophia." Rick said coming to sit in the chair by my bed. I looked over at him and nodded.

_"Eva can we stop now? Im tired." Sophia said from by my side her hand still clenched tightly in mine. I looked around and saw what looked to be an old farm house. it was old and looked to be abandoned. Hand and hand we walked toward it when we got to the front door I told her to stay there. I lifted my crossbow up and pushed open the door with it, it was so old it just swung on its hengis. I walked in and came to a hallway of sorts. I checked the bottom floor when that was clear I walked up to the top and checked the rooms up there, I was able to find some_ _blankets that weren't old and a small pillow. I walked back down stairs and got Sophia. Together we went to the kitchen where she sat down at one of the chairs at the table. _

_"I'm hungry. Do you have anything to eat?" She asked looking up at me. I bit my lip as I looked around I didn't. I opened the pantry door and was surprised to find it had some cans of tuna in there they were old and I had no idea if they were past there expiration date but still food was food so I put down 2 cans in front of her and kept one for myself. Luckily they had a top of a soda can so we didn't need a can opener. Sophia quickly opened hers and dug in. She ate so fast it shocked me. When she finished I handed her mine. _

_"Arnt you hungry?" She asked. _

_"No I'm ok. You go ahead and eat" I told her and smiled as she opened the can and dug right in. After her sad meal she started to yawn. It didn't surprise me we had been running all day and some into the night. _

_"Come on lets set you to bed" I told her as I got the blankets out and set her up a bed in the pantry. I figured its be easier to defend if a heard were to come by. She quickly curled up and fell asleep. I sat by the door intending to stay up but ended up falling asleep. _

_I jerked awake by hearing Sophia scream. I would know that scream. I looked in the pantry and cursed when I saw it empty I got up and ran out side with my crossbow. _

_"Sophia!" I yelled running the direction of the screaming. _

_"Eva!" I heard her yell back. I ran faster. _

_"No! Stop! Eva help!" I heard her yell again. I felt tears spring into my eyes. _

_"Sophia! Sophia where are you!?" I screamed even if I couldn't get to her if I could at least draw the walkers away that would be a good thing. _

_The next thing I head was a ear piercing scream. A scream that was filled with pain. A scream that I would never forget for how ever long my life is. _

_I continued to run. All the way till morning I ran. But I never found her. _

The tears were flowing freely by the time I had finished telling Rick the story. I was shaking so badly he called a man named Hershel in. Who gave me a shot of something that put me back to sleep.

I woke up early in the morning. It was only then i realized I was pretty much naked except of my bra and underwear. I looked around the room I was in. It was small the bed took up most of the space. I was also alone. I sat up and looked at the end to see some clothes there. When I lifted them up I saw that they were really big. But I figured it was because of my side wound. Most of my shirts fit me tight. I put the clothes on and walked out of the room on socked feet. As I came down stairs I came face to face with a young women. She was tall with short brown hair and green eyes. She gave me a big smile. And introduced her self.

"Hi I'm Maggie." She said as she stuck her hand out.

"Eva" I told her shaking her hand. It was weird waking up in a house with out none of the group with me. Did I get kidnapped maybe last night was just a dream.

"Um" I said as I looked around hoping for Lori or even Daryl heck id except Shane right now.

"If your looking for your group there outside." Maggie said "Come on ill take you to them." She said as she started walking. I followed her. I took a sigh of relief as I saw everyone already up and getting on with the days chores.

I opened the door and walked on to the porch. I was going to start going down the stairs when Maggie put her hand on my elbow.

"You shouldn't be outside my dad said you need to rest in fact you shouldn't even be out of bed. But I figured you wanted to see. " She said looking at me with sad eyes.

"Oh ok" I said back "Is your dad Hershel?" I asked

"Yeah that's him" She said smiling.

I turned and looked back at my group sighed as I walked back into the house with Maggie. As I got into bad I was surprised when Maggie tucked me in. After she left I felt tears fill my eyes. They all probably hated me I thought. I mean I lost Sophia why would they want to talk to me. I was still crying when a knock came at my door.

"Come in" I said and was surprised when I saw that it was Carol. I quickly whipped at my tears and started to sit up. I felt my stiches tug and winced.

"No no don't its ok." Carol said putting her hands on my shoulders to stop me. I flinched away out of habit of someone coming at me while laying down. I saw her frown as she took a step back.

"I'm sorry" I whispered not looking at her.

"Eva please look at me." Carol said. I looked up and was surprised to not see anger in her eyes. Only sadness.

"I don't blame you for what happened" She said. "Rick told me how you and Sophia got separated. I don't know why she ran but I wanted you to know its not your fault. You went after her with Rick you tried to protect her. How could I hate you for that?" She finished with a sad smile.

"I..." I was lost for word I was ready for her to started yelling to never want to speak to me again. I didn't except this.

She reached her hand out and put it over mine. I looked down and started crying again. When the tears started she got up and sat next to me and held me. It was such a motherly gesture that it made me cry harder.

A little while later there was another knock at my door Daryl popped his head in. When he saw that I was awake he came in but stopped when he saw that I was crying. I sat up this time and whipped at my tears. Carol got off the bed smiled at me and left the room leaving me and Daryl alone.

"How you feeling?" He asked sitting in the chair Rick sat in last night.

"Better a little cold." I told him

"Yeah uh Hershel said your probably going to get a cold." He said leaning over and draping his arms over his knees.

"Yeah huh" I told him back. I looked down chewing on my lip. This had been the first time we were alone together sense I kissed him.

"So ah who found me?" I asked him.

"I did." He said shifting a little.

"Thank you." I told him smiling.

"No problem." He said looking down.

"So... does everyone hate me now?" I asked him. He looked up his eyebrows drawn.

"Why would everyone hate you?" he asked.

"Because I lost Sophia." I said back.

"No. Nobody hates you." He said. I just nodded my head and looked out the window.

"Hershel says I gotta stay here." I told him.

"Yeah told me and Rick yesterday after you went back to sleep." He said

"I want to help look." I told him.

"Is that that you were doing? Before I found you?" He asked

"Yeah I thought I had seen something. Sophia's doll. But I guess it got lost." I said.

"Ah and you tripped and fell?" He asked.

"Yeah I normally have good balance just happened to step on a lose rock." I said back smiling over at him. He smiled at me and gave me a slight laugh remembering that conversation from what felt like so long ago.

"Well that's a good thing" He said still with a smile. "Seems as though I have to save your life more then anyone else." I started laughing but stopped when I felt my stiches tug.

"Easy" He said his smile gone.

"This sucks." I said back. "I don't like sitting still and no doubt in a few hours im going to start getting cabin fever."

"Yeah I've noticed" He said back with a slight smile. I just rolled my eyes and sighed trying to prove how annoyed I was but it only made his smile bigger.

There was another knock at the door when I looked over I was surprised to see it was Michael. The last time I saw him he had been pretty mean to me. I didn't really know what to expect.

"Hey." He said stopping behind Daryl's chair. "Its good to see you."

I looked down at Daryl and saw how tense he got. Michael cleared his throat and looked down at Daryl.

"Um Daryl mind giving us some privacy?" He asked. Daryl looked up at me when I nodded back he gave me a slight nod and stood up. Before he left though he looked over at Michael.

"I come back and see she's been crying again you better run. Got it?" He said.

Michael just nodded. Daryl nodded back and turned and walked out closing the door behind him.

I looked over at Michael and saw him biting his lip and wringing his hands together not looking at me.

"Michael" I said. He looked back over to me and went and sat down in the chair Daryl was just sitting in. "What did you want to talk about?" I asked.

He cleared his throat before he spoke.

"I wanted to apologize." He said looking at me. " I was being a dick towards you. I had no right. I see that now."

"Why though?" I asked. "You've never acted that way before what changed?"

"A lot hell everything changed. The world changed. I just lost Amy I mean we were just fooling around but still. And you were getting all cozy with the damn redneck-"

"Ok stop right there" I interrupted him. "First his name is Daryl not redneck and second that shouldn't be a problem to you. You have no say in who I get all 'cozy' with." I said making air quotes around the word cozy.

"See that's what pisses me off." He said starting to get worked up. "Its like you want to be best friends with him. I feel like your replacing me."

"Well what did you expect? I never saw you back at the quarry and when I did you were always with Amy. And for the record I don't just want to be friends with him. I like him Michael and I think he likes me to. So if you still wanna be friends your going to have to be ok with that. Just like I've always had to be ok with your past girl friends." I told him.

"Why him? Can you at least tell me that? Never before have you been interested in someone and now all of a sudden you are? And out of everyone Daryl?" He said.

"What the hell is wrong with him!?" I asked nearly yelling it. I was getting so upset.

"He's a filthy redneck with a temper and a bad past! Do you really want to get involved with him!?" He said back just as angry.

"Yes because as hard as it may be for you to believe Michael but not all people with bad pasts end up like him." I said.

"Well you had to go pick the worst one out of the batch didn't you!" He said back with a look of disgust on his face.

"Enough!" I yelled. "I don't give a damn what you think you stay the hell out of my relationship and my life!"

"No! You need someone to protect you from him!" He yelled back standing now. I got out of bed despite the pain in the side.

"Really!? Because from the looks of it I need someone to protect me from you!" I yelled.

"Don't even go there if it hadn't been for me you would be dead right now." He said stepping forward pointing his finger at me.

"No I would still be alive. You really wana know why I want to be with Daryl? Its because he believes in me. He can see the fighter that I have the potential to be. He doesn't baby me like you always have. You want me to always be dependent on you." I told him.

His nostrils flared and his face got red. It still didn't prepare me for what happened next. I didn't see his arm flex as the back of his hand came flying across my face. It hurt so bad even worse because its was on the side that was still healing. I fell to the floor and when I opened my eyes and he keeled down in front of my face an angry snarl that was all to familiar there. The flash back happened so fast I didn't have time to prepare my self for it.

_My head hurt daddy was in a bad mood. I could tell as he leaned in close I could smell the beer._

_"Daddy no" I pleaded. _

_"Shut up!" He screamed back his hand meeting my face again. I fell to the floor and looked under the bed to see David there crying. I shook my head at him when I saw that he was going to get out and try to help. _

_"Get up!" Daddy screamed again. I got up as quickly as I could I knew what would happen if I didn't. He grabbed my hair and threw me into the hall as he started to unbuckle his belt for the rest of my punishment. _

I was jerked back to the past by a pair of hands shaking me. I screamed and tried to get away but stopped when I smelled the familiar woodsy smell and leather. When my eyes cleared I threw my self into Daryl's arms crying. I hadn't had a flash back in almost 5 years. I looked over in time to see T-Dog drag Michael out by his throat. It took some time but Daryl was able to calm me down.

I laid on the bed with him. His arms wrapped around me my head on his chest.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"Hershel's youngest daughter... Beth? She heard the slap and came running out to get me." He said his arms tightening.

"Oh" was all I said back. I felt him take a deep breath before he spoke again.

"Where did you go?" He asked.

"I.. I.. " I couldn't get the words out. His arms tightened.

"Shhh its ok you don't have to tell me" He said

"You saw them didn't you?" I asked. He knew I was talking about my scares. The scares I always tried to keep hidden.

"Yeah. When we brought you in you were soaking wet had no choice but to cut your clothes off." He said.

I was silent for a little bit before I spoke again.

"It was my dad." I said felling my hands start shaking. I've never told anyone about my past it was to painful I didn't trust no one enough. knew they wouldn't understand. But I knew Daryl would.

"It started when I was young after my mom died. He would beat me and my little brother David. Take his frustration out on us. Mostly me till David got older." I buried my head in his chest. Getting up the courage to tell him the rest. "When I started to develop he... he.. he would..." I couldn't finish but Daryl knew. He wrapped his arms tighter around me as I started crying again.

"How long?" He asked his voice tight.

"Till I was 12." I told him "My teacher called Social Service and got us taken out of there. That teacher later became the mother I never had. And her husband became my father." I said. I looked up at him and saw his eyes were red. "They saved me" I finished.

"You didn't deserve that." He said anger in his eyes yet his voice soft. I just shrugged.

"No one does." I told him.

He nodded and did something I didn't expect. He leaned over and kissed me. It was so sweet and gentle I wanted to start crying. I didn't know he had that in him. It was over to quickly. When he pulled back I looked at him and saw something I didn't expect to see in Daryl Dixons eyes.

Love.

I didn't know what kind of love but still it was there.

"My dad." he started. "My dad he would beat me and Merle. I never knew why but he would. He was a drunk ass hole. Only it didn't stop till Merle got him and I outa there. Merle had I guess you could say saved me. I haven't laid eyes on that man sense we left."

"Do you..?" I asked

He nodded and got up pulling off his shirt and turning his back to me. And sure enough all along his back were scars. Just like mine. I felt my eyes tear up again. This time for the scared man in front of me. Daryl turned and hugged me again.

We were both scared up and broken in ways only we could understand.

Daryl ran his hand down my back I knew he could feel them through the shirt I wore. When I pulled back I saw that he was smiling a bit.

"What?" I asked. He looked up at me and gave me a smile.

"Little Doc we match."

**So yeah you learn a lot about Evas past here. Well Review and tell me what you think:)**


	12. Chapter 12

***Evas POV***

"Whats going to happen to Michael?" I asked Rick when he came into my room late the same day of the whole incident.

"We were thinking of a banishment." Rick said as he stood at the end of my bed.

"Banishment?" I asked

"Were going take him out and give him a bag, some supplies and send him on his way." Rick answered.

"That's it?" Daryl said. I knew he wanted to kill Michael but didn't because I had begged him not to.

"Daryl were not going to let you kill him." Rick said back.

"At least let me get in a few punches." Daryl grumbled looking down. I just shook my head and looked over at Rick.

"When are you going to do it?" I asked.

"Was thinking tomorrow." He said.

"Ok" I said and layed down pulling the covers around me and putting my face in the pillow.

"Ok... I guess ill see you later." Rick said as he left.

I heard the door close and a few seconds later felt the bed dip as Daryl sat down. He had gotten up when Rick came in not wanting to see him cuddling.

"You ok?" He asked after a few moments of silence.

"Fine" I said back.

I heard him sigh and shift a little.

"No your not. Whats up? I would have thought you would have been a little more sad about the kid leaving." He said.

I rolled over and looked at him and saw him stareing at me already.

"So did I. But in all honesty I cant imagine ever being around him again. If he was able to do that to me I don't want him in my life." I said back. I looked down as I felt my eyes tear up.

"Hey whats wrong?" Daryl asked when he saw the tears.

"Im relived hes leaving." I said looking up at him. "Does that make me a bad person?"

He looked away out the window before answering.

"Why do you feel relived?" he asked.

"Because I wont have to be afraid again." I answered back.

"Then no. It doesn't make you bad." He said as he looked over at me.

I looked down at the bed and nodded. I was tracing the bed pattern when a knock came at my door. I looked over and smiled when I saw Lori walk in.

"Hey thought you two might be hungry" She said as she put a tray down on the bedside table.

"Thank you" I said as I sat up with help from Daryl. I saw Lori smile when she saw Daryl helping me.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Good better. Im not frezzing anymore so that's a bonus."

"I'm sure." she said back.

"How's Carl?" I asked. Daryl had updated me on everyone throughout the day today and I was very anxious to see how Carl was.

"He's better Hershel says he'll be on his feet in no time." Lori said with a smile.

"That's great news Lori im happy for you." I said with a smile.

"Well ill leave you two to eat." She said before she walked out closing the door behind her.

Daryl and I ate in silence. The food was good. This was my first really big meal sense being found. During the day Daryl had been giving me small things to eat like, a few crackers and apple slices per Hershel's orders.

After we finished eating Daryl got up from the bed and said he had to get something from his tent and that hed be right back. He came back a few mins later with something wrapped in his hand.

I quickly sat up eager to see what it was. He handed it over to me and I yanked off the rag to revile a knife. The handle was pink and so was the case covering. When I pulled the covering off the long blade I was surpised at how sharp it was.

"i uh found it on the highway and I knew you needed one so.." Daryl said trailing off and looking down.

"Thank you." I said back. I was very touched by the gesture. I looked up at Daryl and smiled at him and he gave me a slight smile back.

"So whats it gonna take to convise you to sneak me out of this room?" I asked after a moment.

"Pshh little doc Hershel says you gotta stay in bed and what he says goes I don't want you getting hurt again." Daryl said

"Come on. I followed his orders all day im starting to get cabin fever up in here." I said back givng him puppy dog yes. But Daryl still shook his head no. Stupid stubborn man I thought with a sigh.

"Well can you at least let me sit on the porch swing?" I asked

Daryl thought it over before turning and walking out the door when he came back a few moments later he said Hersel okd it and started to help me out of bed. I didn't need it but I knew Daryl did so I let him.

Being able to be outside again felt amazing. As a kid I was always outside as much as I could be. So being stuck in a house in bed all day was not the norm for me and I didn't like it.

Daryl help me sit down on the porch swing and sat next to me when I patted the other half. He started gently rocking us and we just stayed silent. It was peaceful here and this was the first time I got a good look of the Green farm. I could see where the group was set up in a cluster of trees. I could also see my tent there as well. I hadn't seen it sense my last night at the quarry. I looked over at Daryl and saw him staring at me. He didn't look away like I thought he would so I just smiled at him.

"What?" I asked

"Just tryin to figure you out is all." He said back looking away.

"You know Daryl im an open book you just gotta ask." I told him.

He looked back over at me and just stared at me for a little while. I stared right back wanting him to see that he could trust me.

"Why me?" he asked

"What do you mean?" I asked back

"Why do you want me? You could have any guy and you want me I don't understand." He said

"Does it matter?" I asked back.

"Yeah to me it does." He said right back with a serious look in his eyes. I looked away and sighed as I pushed the hair out of my face. After taking a deep breath I looked over at him and said.

" I want you because your strong. Your brave. And I know you have a good heart." I said back

"I don't got a good heart little doc." He said looking down at the ground.

"I don't believe that." I told him. He looked up at me and I saw how vulnerable his was in that moment.

"Daryl you wouldn't have saved me as much as you've had if you didn't have a good heart. You wouldn't have gone out on your own to search for Sophia and me if you didn't have a good heart. You wouldn't have gotten me a knife just because I didn't have one if you didn't have a good heart." I said "You can try and hide it from everyone else but your not fooling me Daryl Dixon."

He was quite after that. He just rocked us back and forth gently. We stayed outside till the sun started to set. Most of the group had come and welcomed me back. They never stayed long because they had other things that need to be done. When it started to get dark Daryl helped me back inside to my room. A little after dinner Hershel came in and said that tomorrow I would be well enough to head back to my own tent. I was grateful for it to. I wanted to be back with my group.

I asked Daryl to stay with me but he said he couldn't and left after I was laying down. I curled around the pillow he had been using throughout the day and fell asleep to his scent.

. . .

Morning was bright and beautiful. Aparently today was a big day for everyone. Both me and Carl were now deemed well enough to rejoin the group. When I had woke up I was alone. It didn't really surpise me. So when I gathered the knife Daryl had gotten me and walked out on to the porch I was alone. I walked over to the cluster of tents that was now home. I smiled as I re-entured my tent. Everything I had left in there was still there except one thing. I started fraticly searching my tent for the little old matted stuffed dog. It was the only thing that held value to me in here. My birth mother had given it to me when I was 6. It had been the only gift I had ever gotten as a child and the only thing my foster parents ever let me keep from my time with my birth parents.

I sat down on the ground and sighed in defeat. It was gone probably lost when they packed up my stuff. I wanted to cry but I was all cried out. So I just curled on my sleepingbag on my good side and stared at the wall of my tent.

There was a knock at my tent door and I raised my eye brows as Lori steped in.

"Hey Lori. Whats up? Is everything ok?" I asked sitting up.

"Yeah yeah everything is fine I just needed to talk to you." she said as she sat down on the floor in front of me.

"Oh ok whats up?" I asked crossing my legs.

"Well I was wondering.. um.. do you know how to do make a pregnancy test?" she asked looking at the groud. "I just remember you saying back at the quarry that you knew a lot of holistic stuff and wanted to ask."

"Oh... Well the stuff isn't easy to come by I would have to go into the woods. And its not 100% only like 50%." I answered.

Loris sholders sagged in defeat and she nodded still not looking at me.

"Ok ill asked Glenn then. Thank you Eva and would you mind keeping this between us?" She said looking up at me now.

"Of course." I said.

She nodded and got up and walked out.

What just happed? I thought

I sighed and got up and started looking through my clothes. I was surpised they had kept all of my stuff. But apparently it had been Michael who took it all.

I was just wearing my bra when the door to my tent flew open and Daryl came inside.

"Shit!" I yelled and then stopped slapping my hands over my mouth. I had never cursed before. Daryl just looked over at me and start laughing. It wasn't one of his soft cuckles but a full blown laughter. I felt a blush creep up my neck and grabbed a tank top and sliped it on. It took Daryl a while to stop laughing at me but when he did he smiled over at me.

"Can I help you?" I asked looking at him with a smile to show I wasnt mad.

He seemed to sober up at the question which got me worried.

"Yeah Rick wanted you to know that Michael is getting ready to leave and wanted to know If you wanted to see him." he said

I took a deep breath and looked down at the tent floor and nodded. I didn't want to but knew I needed to. After pulling on a long sleeve I followed Daryl out of my tent and to where the group was. I stopped in my tracks when I saw Michael. From the looks of it he had gotten a pretty bad beating his whole left face was swollen and black and blue. But dispite his injuries when he looked up at me I felt the fear that had long laid dormant rise up again.

I turned and looked at Daryl and saw him already watching me.

"Daryl I cant." I said it a small voice. He just nodded and put his hand on my lower back and started to lead me back to my tent. We didn't get far before we heard Michael yelling.

"Eva wait please!" he yelled. I felt a hand at my elbow but was yanked away by Daryl. I was honestly surpised he had gotten past the group.

"Hey! Don't you fucking touch her!" Daryl yelled back pulling me behind him and pushing Michael square in the chest.

"Get the fuck off me! You don't get to speak for her!" Michael yelled back.

"You don't get to be near her!" Darly yelled back.

"Stop it!" I screamed. Everyone turned and looked at me Daryl in shock and Michael with hope.

"Leave Michael. And don't come back." I said to him before grabbing Daryls hand and walking away.

"No! Eva please!" he yelled I couldn't see him but I could hear what sounded like T-Dog and Shane telling him to leave. I asked Daryl to take me someplace peaceful in the woods which surpisingly he nodded and after grabbing his crossbow he led the way.

He took me to a pond. It was small with wild flowers growing all around it in different colors. I sat at the bank and laid back and let the sun warm my skin. Daryl stayed quite for which I was grateful for. After about 10 mins I got up and took my shirt off. I was only in a tank top when I rolled over onto my stomach and let the sun heat my back.

I never took off my shirt because people would always ask questions. But Daryl didn't. He knew why they were there and didn't ask about them. I opened my eyes and looked over at Daryl and was surpised to see he to had is shirt off and was laying on his back.

The last time I had seen Daryl shirtless I hadn't been paying attention but now here in full daylight I liked what I saw. He wasn't fit like most men. His muscles weren't fromt the gym they were natural. From hard work out side not some gym equipment. He had a light dusting of chest hair and a few scares. I went red like a tomato when he opened his eyes and saw me practicly drooling over him.

"Sorry" I said and sat up.

He just grunted back in response. I looked over at him again and noticed his hands were covered in scrapes.

"What happened to your hands?" I asked. He just shugged again and looked away when I looked up at him. It didn't take me long to put two and two together but still I had to ask.

"Was it you?" I asked. He just looked at the ground and nodded.

"Thank you." I said after a moment. He looked over at me and gave me a slight nod.

I don't know how it happened but it did. One moment we were just sitting next to each other and the next we were laying down our mouths locked together our tongues in there own dance.

I felt his hands rub up and down my back. I knew he wanted to go father. I could feel it. And much to my surprise and delight I did as well. So when he asked if I wanted to I said yes.

It was my first time. I never expected it to happen in the woods. Or with a man like Daryl. But it did and I would never change it.

**So sorry this took so long I was having some serious writers block but tada! its up. So hope you enjoyed and review? Thanks:)**


	13. Chapter 13

***Evas POV***

"Um guys.." Glenn said standing up in front of everyone. "The barns full of walkers."

. . .

After Glenn told us we all walked up to the barn. Where Shane walked up to the door and looked through one of the cracks. He walked back when he saw the walkers im guessing. We could all hear the growling and moaning out here so no one else really needed to look.

"You can not tell me your alright with this." Shane said walking up to Rick.

"No I'm not. But were guest here this isn't our land." Rick said back still looking at the barn.

"This is our lives!" Shane said getting angier.

"Lower your voice." Glenn said next to me.

"We cant just sweep this under the rug." Andrea said.

"It aint right. Not remotely." Said T-Dog also looking up at the barn.

"Ok we've either got to go in there, we've got to make things right or we've just got to go. We've been talking about Fort Benning for awhile now." Shane said while pacing.

"We cant leave!" Rick said back with an angry look on this face.

"Why Rick? Why?" Shane said back.

"Because my daughters still out there." Carol said coming forward.

"Ok. I think its time we just consider the other possibility." Shane said looking at Carol.

"Were not leaving Shopia behind." Rick said.

"Were closer then ever to finding her!" Daryl said back walking forward.

"Daryls right Eva can lead us to the last spot she was with Sophia and we can get back on her trail." Rick said.

"Like hell! Do you really think we can find her if Eva couldn't even find her the night it happened?" Shane asked with an outraged look on his face.

"Shane I cant track and it was the middle of the night." I said walking forward to stand next to Daryl. "Daryl can track her. Hes right were closer then ever before and you want to leave?"

"Come on Eva you said you heard her scream. You know shes dead!" He said yelling at me.

"You don't know that!" I yelled back. "It could have been an animal that got her or something scared her. We don't know if it was a walker."

"Stop" Rick said stepping between Shane and I. "Nows not the time. Now just let me talk to Hershel. Let me figure it out."

"Man what are you gonna figure out!?" Shane yelled.

"Enoguh!" Lori yelled stepping up and putting a hand on Shanes chest.

"If were gonna stay. If were gonna clear this barn. I have to talk him into it. This is his land!" Rick yelled back.

"Hershel sees thoughs things as people. Sick people. His wife. His step-son." Dale said walking up.

"You knew!?" Rick asked.

"Yesterday I talked to Hershel." Dale said.

"And you waited the night" Shane said sounding a little more calm.

"I thought we could survive one more night." Dale said. "We did.. I was waiting till this morning to say something but Glenn wanted to be the one."

"The man is crazy Rick. If Hershel thinks those things are alive or no." Shane said walking forqard getting angry again.

The doors to the barn started shaking and moving. The dead becoming excited from the sounds of our voices. Everyone jumped back and Daryl pulled me behind him. The walkers didn't get though and after awhile Rick told us all to go back to the tents and go about our daily chores while he went to talk to Hershel. We all spred out and started to go back. Daryl had his hand on the small of my back as he led me back to the campsite.

As we entered camp everyone was on edge. Rick had split off from us and walked to the house. I bent down and started to help Carol clean up. I saw she was sad so I told her to go and relax in the RV while I finished she nodded and went to the RV.

After I was done I walked back to my tent and was surprised to see Daryl there. After what happened at the lake we had gone back to our own tents. Though we sat together at breakfast I still didn't know what we were doing.

"Hey" I said as I walked in after taking off my boots at the entrance.

"Hey" he said from my sleeping bag on the floor. I went and sat down next to him.

"Whats up?" I asked

"Wanted to make sure you were alright." he said looking down at the floor.

"Im good. How are you?" I asked

"Alright I guess. Shane pissed me off today is all." he said

"Yeah I know what you mean." I said picking at a hole in my jeans.

I took a deep breath as I looked over at him before asking what was on my mind.

"Daryl what are we?" I asked. He sifted a little and looked over at me brifly before looking back at the groud.

"What do you mean?" he asked back.

"I mean what are we doing? Are we a couple or just like friends with benefits?"I said back.

"I donno know.." he said. "I aint ever been in a relationship 'for so I don't know what we would do.."

"Well.. Would you be mad if I saw someone else?" I asked. At that he looked over at me with anger in his eyes.

"Hell yes!" He said. I smiled at him. It was cute when he got jealous.

"Then I wont." I said. " I don't want to see you with anyone else either."

He nodded at me then gave me a half smile.

"So were a couple?" he asked.

"I guess so." I said giving him a big smile and leaning my head down on his shoulder.

"Good but don't go kissing me in front of everyone or all that shit ok? Aint no one need to know our business." He said before leaning his head down on mine.

"Ok" I said with a smile still on my face.

"OK. I also wanted to tell you I don't think you should go anywhere near the barn till Rick talks it out with Hershel ok?" He said

I lifted my head up and looked over at him but he was still looking at the ground.

"Well I wasn't planning on it. But I mean I can take care of myself you know." I said.

"I know but still you never know what could happen." He said shrugging.

I thought it over. I wasn't going to go near the barn just because I didn't want to but I was afraid if I said yes he would think he could just tell me what to do. But I knew it was just him being over protective so I nodded and said yes then leand over and gave him a kiss on the cheek that brought a blush to his face.

. . .

"Eva can I talk to you?" Rick said as he walked up to where I was sitting.

"Sure whats up?" I asked standing up.

"Was thinking you could take us out to where you and Sophia got separated maybe we could pick up her trail." He said.

"Yeah defentily. When do you want to go?" I asked

"Well now if your up for it. Are you feeling better?" He asked

"Yeah I feel good let me go get my gun and bow and ill meet you by the RV." I said.

"Ok good if you see Daryl will you ask him to come along?" He asked

"Yeah I will." I said as I walked off to my tent.

When I got there I saw Daryl once again in there this time he was laying on my sleeping bag.

"Hey" I said as I got down and layed next to him. He lifted his arm up and put it around me not saying anything.

"Are you ok?" I asked. He sighed

"Carol got me mad. Said she doesn't think were gonna find Sophia." He said while looking up at the tent.

"well Rick wants to head out right now to go follow the trail where me and her got separated maybe we'll find another clue. Give her hope again." I said.

"Yeah? Are you going?" He asked as he looked over at me.

"Yup"i said as I nodded. "I can show you where it is. The direction I heard her from and everything."

He nodded.

"Rick wants to know if youll come to. Maybe pick up her trail." I said

"Yeah ok. We leaving now?" he asked getting up.

"Yup. Told Rick id meet him by the RV." I said getting up and grabbing my gun and crossbow.

We both left the tent and walked over the Rv just as Rick was walking away. Andrea was walking toward us.

"Hey wheres Rick going?" I asked when she got closer.

"Hershel needed help with something said we'll go after." She said as she hopped in the RV.

"Oh.. Well I guess we got some free time." I said turning toward Daryl.

"Well then why don't I teach you how to fight?" he asked setting his crossbow on the ground.

"What?" I asked

"Well you can protect your self against walkers now time to learn how to protect your self against people. Come on don't give me that look youll be fine its just basic stuff." he said.

"Umm.. ok" I said as I put my crossbow on the ground and took my gun out and knife out as well.

"Ok first get into this stance." he said.

Our leasson lasted about 2 hours and I ended up flat on my behind everytime. I sucked. Everyone had gather around and surpsingly a lot of the other women wanted to learn. They all asked Daryl for help and even though he wouldn't admit it I could tell he felt good about it. In the end we all went to the house to relax and wait for Rick. Daryl had left said he needed to get something from his tent.

I was sitting with Glenn and Maggie laughing about how Maggie said he looked liked he needed to be inline for early bird special with Dales hat on when Andrea and T-Dog walked up.

"Do you know whats going on?" T-Dog asked.

"Where is everyone?" Andrea asked.

"You haven't seen Rick?" Glenn asked

"Went off with Harshel. We were supposed to leave a couple of hours ago." Andrea said.

"Yeah we were. What the hell?" Daryl said walking back up.

"Rick told us he was going out." Carol said coming up behind him.

"Damn it. Isnt anybody taking this seriously? Were closer then ever to finding her." Daryl said as he started to pace. "Oh here we go" He said walking up to Shane who was carrying the bag of guns.

"Whats all this?" Daryl asked pointing to the guns.

"You with me man?" Shane asked handing Daryl a shot gun.

"Time to grow up." Shane said walking over to the rest of us. "You already got yours?" He asked Andrea.

"Yeah. Wheres Dale?" She asked.

"Hes on his way." Shane said handing T-Dog a gun. I got up from where I was sitting so I was now standing.

"Thought we couldn't carry." T-dog said.

"We can and we have to." Shane said turning to face everone.

"Look it was one thing sitting around her picking daisies when we thought this place was supposed to be safe. But now we know it aint." He said. "How bout you man? You gonna protect yours?" He said walking up to Glenn and handing him a shotgun. Glenn looked over at Maggie and sighed but he took the gun.

"That's it. Can you shoot?" he asked Maggie.

"Can you stop? You do this you hand out these guns my dad will make you leave tonight." She said trying to reason with him. But he was to far gone.

"We have to stay Shane." Carol said walking down the steps.

"What is this?" Lori said coming around the side of the house.

"We aint going anywhere ok? Now look Hershel, hes just gotta understand. Ok? Hes- Well hes gonna have to." Shane said while walking over to Carl pulling out a small revolver much like my own. "Now we need to find Sophia. Am I right? Huh? Now I want you to take this." He said to Carl getting ready to hand the gun over. "You take this Carl and you keep your mother safe and you do whatever it takes. You know how. Go on. Take the gun and do it."

"Rick said no guns. This is not your call." Lori said coming up and putting herself between Shane and Carl. "This is not your decision to make."

"Oh shit" T-Dog said drawing everyones attrition.

We all turned and saw Rick, Hershel and Jimmy leading walkers like they were dogs on leashes out of the woods.

Shane took off at a run as did everyone else including me. My side hurt as I ran but being mostly healed I knew I was fine.

Shane pushed open the gate that separated the barn area from the rest of the farm yelling at Rick and Hershel.

"What the hell are you doing!?" Shane yelled.

"Shane just back off!" Rick yelled back.

"Why do your people have guns?" Hershel yelled.

"Are you kidding me!? You see!? You see what there holding on to?" Shane yelled at everyone.

"I see who im holding on to!" Hershel yelled back.

"No man you don't" Shane yelled back.

"Shane just let us do this then we can talk." Rick said

"What you wanna talk about Rick? These things aint sick. They're not people. They're dead aint gonna feel nothing for them cause all they do, they kill! These things right here, they're the things that killed Amy. They killed Otis. They're gonna kill all of us!" Shane yelled at everyone. I saw Andrea flinch at the mention of Amy.

"Shane shut up!" Rick yelled back

"Hey Hershel man let me ask you something. Could a living breathing person could they walk away from this?" Shane said before he shot the Walker Hershel was holding in the stomach twice. I heard Rick yelling no and for him to stop but there was no stopping Shane now. Rick tried to stop him when Shane ran up to the farm door and started opening it but he didn't listen.

Then they were coming just like on the highway. I heard Lori start screaming and looked over and saw her putting Carl behind her. Maggie with her father and Rick with the walker. I was next to Daryl and wasn't surprised when he moved in front of me blocking me from the heard that was beginning to come out of the barn. Andrea and T-Dog were the first to run up their guns drawn.

"Stay here" Daryl said before running off as well to join.

"Maggie." I heard Glenn and looked over to see his face torn. He didn't want to. He knew he would be hurting Maggie but he also knew he needed to protect her. When she said it was ok he ran forward and joined the others in killing off the walkers that were still coming.

I moved in front of Carl and Lori and drew my gun. I didn't want to kill the walkers but if any got past the line of shooters I would have to. I ran along with them when Shane killed the walker Rick had been holding and moved in front of them again when Rick yelled for them to stay down. He nodded at me and I nodded back so he knew his family was safe.

When the last walker went down everything was silent the only sound was of the Greens crying.

Then another sound came from the barn. The last walker. My eyes strained to see who it was but when I did I felt my heart stop. My head was spinning and I was once again hearing her scream my name. I wasn't at the farm. I was in the woods it was dark and I heard her final scream and her last words. When I came back I saw Daryl holding Carol. Carl was crying into his mother and Rick had his gun raised.

The shot rang out and Sophia's body fell to the floor.

The only sounds left were of a grieving mother.

**So I've decided this story has about 5 or 6 more chapters left. I'm going to write a sequel if asked. Well hoped you enjoyed and leave a review! **


	14. Chapter 14

***Daryls POV***

I had never been one to care. Really the only thing I had cared about in my life was Merle and hunting. But man I cared about finding Sophia. When I had found Eva I had been renewed with hope. Till she had told us how the last night with Sophia had gone. But still I still had some hope. Then she came out of the barn and it all came crashing down. I had to hold Carol back so she woldnt run off toward her daughter the would kill her. Then Rick raised his gun and Sophia died for the second time. Carol had gotten up and pushed me off when I tried to help. She then walked off crying. Everyone else was crying as well. I tuned to look at Eva and saw her wrapped in Loris arms with Carl as well. She had her head in her hands and was shaking. I knew she was blameing her self. Thinking about all the things she could have done differently. I sighed and got up and walked toward her. I knelt down and Lori released her and she looked up to see me and threw herself in my arms. I just held her and watched as Hershels youngest daughter ran toward the bodies and knelt down to where her mother was.

She started screaming as the walker tried to bite her. Everyone ran up and tried to get the walker off of Beth. Andrea ended up being the one to kill the walker by shoving one of the farming tools through her brain. Hershel then gatherd his family and they all started walking back toward the house.

I picked Eva up off the ground and started walking back to the camp. I entered her tent and layed her down on her sleeping bag. She just rolled over and faced the wall and didn't say anything. That was a red flag right there. She would normally say thank you or some shit like that. I sighed and left her. She needed to be alone with her own thoughts right now.

***Ricks POV***

"What are you doing?" I asked Shane after he blew up on Hershel.

"Eva almost died looking for her Rick. I'm telling you right now that son of a bitch knew." Shane said pointing at the house.

"He didn't know hes not like that. He opened his home to us." I said

"He put us all in danger." Shane said "Man he kept a barnful of walkers."

"So you just start an insurrection hand out guns and massacre his family?" I asked back.

"His familys dead, Rick" Shane said.

"Well he doesn't believe that." I said "He thinks you just murdered them in cold blood."

"No man I don't care what he thinks!" Shane yelled.

"I was handleing it brother! I was handling it and you just-" I yelled back but Shane inturpped me.

"You had us out in those woods looking for a little girl every single one of us knew was dead!" He yelled "That's what you did Rick. Youre just as delusional as that guy." Shane said

"Your handling it huh?" He said as he walked away.

. . .

I was walking to help with removing the bodies after mine and Shane's talk. I stopped and looked over the bodies there were a lot of them to much to bury.

"You want us to start burying?" T-Dog asked.

"We need a service." Andrea said. "Carol would want that."

"Yeah we all want that. " T-Dog agreed.

I was at a loss. There were so many bodies.

"Let's dig a grave for Sophia and Annette and Shawn." Lori said. "Over by those trees. And we'll need a truck to move the bodies."

Everyone nodded content with the arrangement.

"Ill go get the keys" Jimmy said getting ready to walk toward the house but Shane stopped him saying he'll do it.

"And the others? That's a lot of digging." Jimmy said.

"We bury the ones we love the burn the rest." Andrea said.

"Lets get to work" Lori said stepping forward.

Lori grabbed my arm and walked away with me whispering and asking about what Hershel said.

"He wants us off the farm" I said also whispering "Or Shane at least."

"That's not a surprise." Lori said "We're lucky someone wasn't killed. And all that gun fire more walkers could have heard."

"Baby what is it?" She asked when she noticed how quite I was being.

I took a deep breath before I answered.

"She was there. All the time." I said

"And you did everything you could." Lori said.

"Yeah I know I always do don't I?" I said back. "Went after her protected her. killed those walkers but she still got bit. Eva nearly died and Carl still got shot."

"People are counting on me and I had them chasing a ghost in a forest." I stepped back when Lori put her hand on my face. I didn't deserve her comfort right now. I walked away and went to find the one person who could understand what I was going through.

When I reached Eva's tent I was surprised to not find Daryl in there. As I looked in I saw Eva laying down facing the tent wall curled in a ball. I figured she was asleep but as I was turning to leave her she rolled over and I saw her eyes were open and rimmed red.

"Hey" I said "Can I come in?"

She nodded and sat up.

I went in and sat down on the side of the tent that wasn't covered with her sleeping bag.

"How are you?" I asked

She looked up at me and shrugged looking away.

"Its not your fault you know." I said. "You didn't know what she was doing out there" Her head snapped toward me when I said that. Her eyes were hard something I had never seen before brewing inside her.

"It is my fault, Rick" She said her voice horse "I was supposed to protect her, keep her safe and bring her back here. That was my only job out there. And I failed. Its my fault she got bit." She said looking down at the floor.

"Well I guess we can both share the blame." I said picking at a hole in my jeans.

"No you did the right thing hiding us Rick. I should have taken better care of her." She said

"You almost died looking for her Eva. I say you redeemed yourself." I said looking up at her. She was shaking her head and looking down at the floor.

We stayed silent for awhile neither of us speaking. I wasn't going to lie it was nice having someone else feel guilty about Sophia's fate. We ended up talking for quite sometime Eva and I. I learned some about her past and she learned about mine. We eventually went back to Sophia and we both agreed we were both guilty about what had happened. I think it help her. Knowing someone else was feeling the same way and she didn't have to shoulder it all.

After about an hour or so Daryl was in and seemed a bit taken back at the sight of us together. He told us that the funeral was going to start soon and he came to get Eva. We both nodded and got up I walked out first and left the couple behind.

***Daryl's POV***

"What the hell was Rick doing in the tent?" I asked once he was out of ear shot.

"We were just talking." She said as she wrapped her arms around one of mine. I let it drop now wasn't the time to get jealous. We walked to the funeral and stayed side by side the whole her time her arms still wrapped around me. I wasn't surprised that Carol wasn't there. She had said she wasn't going to go. But still I didn't think she was serious about it. After the funeral we all went our separate ways. Eva and I went back to her tent and just laid there with her curled against my side and my arm wrapped around her. I didn't think this day was going to get worse but of course our luck didn't go that way.

**So this chapter is super short but its just a filler a longer one will be posted hopefully soon:) Thanks to the reviews I will be writing a sequel! **


	15. Chapter 15

***Evas POV***

After about an hour of Daryl and I laying in my tent I decided I was going to help with dinner. We both left the tent, he said he need to get something from his tent and had wandered off. I started opening up cans of peas and corn when Shane came stomping over from the house with Rick, Lori and Maggie following him. They all looked really mad.

"Eva!" Shane yelled at me causing me to jump up and step back.

"Shane stop!" Rick yelled at Shane.

"Whooh whats going on?" Daryl said walking up next to me with something wrapped in his hand.

"Shane stop!" Rick yelled again grabbing Shanes arm.

"Get off me." Shane said as he pushed Rick away and turned back towards me.

"Eva you know how to deliver a baby right?" Shane asked looking at me with almost crazy eyes.

"Yes.." I said hesintly my eyes flicking over t Loris. "Why?" I asked but Shane didn't answer he just turned towards Rick with a victorius look on his face.

"Told you man. We don't need him!" Shane said. "Eva can do it. Hell she can probably do a better job then he can."

"Rick whats going on?" I asked

"Hersheals missing and Shane doesn't see the point in looking for him." Rick said spitting the wordsout like they were venom.

"What!?" I nearly yelled "Shane are you crazy Hershel has shown us so much kindness sense weve been here and you want to leave him for the walkers?"

"Whats it matter how much kindnesss he shown us!? For Christ shakes people he hid a barn full of walkers from us! Do you really think that's a sane man right there?" Shane yelled spinning around looking at everyone.

"It doesn't matter Shane!" I yelled " Its in the past and you know what weve been here for a week and we didn't even know about them! The only reason they posed any threat is because you went and opened the barn door! Hell you put us in more danger then he did by doing that!"

Shane tuned towards me and started walked to me with a completely crazed look in his eyes. Fear shot through my blood like a bullet. He looked completely mad.

I grabbed my gun from it holster and pulled it on him. I didn't want to shoot him. I really didn't but Shane had gone off the deep end and he couldn't be brought back.

Shane stopped mid stride and just stared at me. He didn't bother going for his gun. He just stood there and started laughing. Then he lundged for me. I shot out of pure instinct and fear. I heard him yell and saw him fall to the ground holding his arm.

I stepped back as Rick and Lori ran forward.

Daryl came forward and grabbed me arm pulling me back.

"You little bitch!" Shane yelled as he reached for his gun. It was quickly knocked out of his hands by Rick who was attemping to hold him down.

"Daryl get her out of here!" Rick yelled. I felt Daryls hand wrap around my upper arm. He quickly turned me away and started walking with me to the tree line.

We walked for awhile till we came to the clearing Daryl had brought me to the day Michael left. It had changed due to the changing season the flowers that once bloomed were now drying up and the green grass was starting to brown.

We sat by the river bank for a little while netiher of us speaking. I still had my gun in my hands so I put in down on the ground next to me.

I looked over at Daryl and noticed he still had whatever he had gotten from his tent in his hand.

"Whats that?" I asked.

He didn't say anything just handed It over. I took it from his hands and opened it.

It was my little dog. The one I had been looking for like a mad man my first day aloud out of the house.

"Where? How did you..?" I asked but couldn't quite form words.

"The day we left the quarry. While Michael had been packing you things I had taken it." He said looking out over the tree lines.

"Thank you." I told him looking over and giving him a kiss on the cheek.

He just shugged.

"Did I ever tell you why this means so much to me?" I asked looking over at him. He shook his head and looked over at me.

"My mom, my birth mom, she gave it to me when I was young. It was before everything went bad. We had been pretty poor so getting a gift was something spiceal to me. When I was taken away from my father my parents had thown away everything David and I had brought with us, wanting us to start clean. But I begged them to let me keep this. They finally relented and I never could part ways with it. Even took it with me to college." I said with a slight laugh as I rememberd my freshmen roommate Kate laughing at it.

I looked over at Daryl and smiled. He gave me a half smile back and turned to look out at the tree lines again.

"Wereyou going to kill him?" He asked after a few moments of silence.

"No I knew where I was aiming. To be honest I didn't want to shoot at all I was scared. I saw a look in his eyes. I had only ever seen it in Michael and my fathers." I said as I felt my eyes fill with tears.

"Did you think he was going to hurt you?" Daryl asked.

"Yes." I whispered looking at the ground as the tears spilled over.

He didn't say anything else just put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close.

After about an hour of being by the pond Daryl and I got up and left as we walked back to the farm he told me he wanted to move further out from the group. When I asked why he simply said he didn't want to be around them anymore. He asked me to come with and when I hesitated he told me to think about it.

As we entered the farm Carol came up to us.

"How's Shane?" I asked

"Alive and pissed" was all she said before Rick came up to me and asked to speak to me alone. We walked off toward the fence surrounding the farm.

"I'm sorry I shot Shane." I said before he was able to speak.

"Were you going to kill him?" He asked

"No" was all I said.

"I'm going to go look for Hershel. I don't want you to go near Shane till I get back." Rick said "Then we'll talk about what happened"

"Should I go check on Beth?" I asked

"No Lori is handling it." was all he said before he walked off.


	16. Chapter 16

***Evas POV***

It took a all night before Rick and Glenn came back with Hershel.

And Randall.

I didn't know much about it except that he was a prisoner and was injured badly in the leg.

Beth was doing fine now.

As was Shane. The shot didn't injure his shooting arm. It took him a few hours before he was walking around camp.

I didn't see him. I spent the whole rest of the day and night in my tent. Daryl came to check on me a few times but he was the only one I really talked to.

After Rick came back with Randall the whole group was pissed. Shane wanted him dead and Dale was fighting to keep him alive. I wanted no part of it.

I ended up moving with Daryl away from the group. I took my tent but I spent most of my time in Daryl's tent. It wasn't long till we started to use my tent as a storage area of sorts. Over the week we had Randall hardly anybody came to see us. Dale came once to try and convince us that what they had planned for Randall was wrong. I told him I was going to stay out of it. I wanted to vouch for the boy and try and help save his life but I was on Ricks bad side and he wouldn't listen to me even if I tried.

Rick had allowed me to stay despite that fact that I shot Shane. I own a lot of it to the group who had back me up and told Rick that Shane had no right to try and attack me. I remember the day Rick came to tell me he was going to let me stay.

I had just started cooking mine and Daryl's dinner when he walk up.

"Eva" He said as he walked up.

"Hello Rick." I said back standing up.

"Where's Daryl?" He asked looking around.

"Went hunting a few hours ago. Should be coming back anytime soon." I said

He simply nodded and looked around more.

"Did you need something?" I asked

"No just wanted to tell you that your aloud to stay. Despite what happened with Shane." He said

"Oh thank you." was all I said as I looked down at the rabbit that was starting to become golden brown.

"Thank the group." he said.

"But if you harm another one of us again, your going to be gone. Just like Michael" he said looking at me with hard eyes. "i don't want that. Do you understand?" he said

"I understand." I said and with a nod and a goodnight he left.

That had been to days ago. Today was the day everyone was going to vote on what happened to Randall.

. . .

This meeting is pointless. I thought as Dale tried to get people to see how what they were doing to Randall was wrong. I agreed with him but everyone else was set on killing him.

"Eva come on. I know you don't agree with this." Dale said walking toward me.

I looked around at everyone and they all looked away. Except for Rick and Shane. Shane with hostility and Rick with just a blank stare.

I had wanted to stay out of it for the sake of trying to get back on Ricks good side. But I couldn't stand by and watch this.

"I don't" I said. I took a deep breath and pushed off the wall I had been leaning against and looked at Rick.

"Rick you once said we don't kill the living, remember?" I asked

"I know but this is different." he said

"How? I heard what happened that day. You stopped Daryl from killing Jim because he was a person. But he was also dangerous. To everyone. Just as Randall is. You saved Jim how could you not save Randall?" I said

"We had hope then. The CDC." Rick said

"And you still have hope now. It was a risk keeping Jim alive and him possibly biting everyone. But you still took it. Its the same with Randall its a risk etiing him go yeah. But its the same risk you took with Jim" I said

Rick nodded and turned back to everyone else.

"Lets vote" Rick said "To keeping Randall alive." Andrea, Dale and I raised our hands.

"Well that's that then." Rick said

I looked over at Dale and saw complete utter despair in his eyes. He tuned to me and Daryl and simple said

"Your right this group is broken." before he walked out.

I looked at everyone and saw them all hang there heads. I felt anger rise up in me.

"Were just as bad as Randall's group." I said and turned to leave but Loris voice stopped me.

"How dare you say that." Lori said and as I turned to look at her I saw that she had gotten up and was looking at me with anger in her eyes and her hands on her hips.

"What?" I said "Its the truth"

"I'm protecting my family. That's why I said yes." She said "I don't expect you to understand that sense all your family is dead."

"My family may be dead but even if they were still alive I would never agree to this." I said stepping up to her. "This is murder and everyone who voted yes you are all pulling the trigger on that boys life."

"Well arnt you a saint." Shane said from across the room "Fighting to save Merles life and now Randall. And yet you didn't think twice about shooting me. Hell you could have killed me."

"I knew where I was aiming." I said as I walked out of the house.

I kept walking till I reached mine and Daryl's camp site but I didn't stop there only to grab my bow. As I started walking toward the woods I heard footsteps behind me.

"Where do you think your going?" Daryl called out.

"Hunting." I said as I continued to walk.

He grabbed me arm gently but firmly and turned me to look at him.

"You shouldn't go out there by yourself." he said looking at the ground.

"Been out there by myself before." I said

"That was different." he mumbled.

"Just don't go. Please." he said in a low voice.

I wanted to go. I needed to clear my head. But just looking at Daryl's face I knew what the real issue here was. He was afraid of me getting lost again. Or getting hurt. I knew how much he cared about me. Over the week of us living together we had learned a lot about each other and during those rare moments where his walls were down he told me how much he cared.

_We were both panting and sticky with sweat. It had been like this all week. During the day we would work on making our little camp site more homier and at night we would lose our self's in each other. _

_Tonight was no different. I rolled over and curled into his side and felt him put his arm around me and pull me even closer. _

_I felt safe. _

_I hummed as I rubbed my face into his side like a little puppy who was friends with a big pit bull. _

_Daryl started playing with he ends of my hair. _

_"Why do you care so much about me?" I asked. I felt his hand stop. I normally didn't ask personal stuff because he would often close up and distance himself. But this was something I really needed to know. _

_I lifted my head up to look at him and saw he was staring at the wall of the tent. _

_"Daryl?" I said _

_He took a deep breath and looked over at me. _

_"Please answer." I whispered. _

_"You wormed your way into my life." He said in a low voice. "Ya make me feel things I didn't think I could feel." _

_"Like what?" I said in a low voice. _

_"Happiness, and love." he said "Your also real good at scarring the shit outta me." _

_"When?" I asked _

_"Back at the quarry and the highway. Didn't thing I could feel so scared." He said _

_"Oh.." I said as I looked down at his chest. _

That had been the end of it. But as I looked at him I could really see how my going off alone effects him.

I sighed as I handed my crossbow over to him. He took it then took my hand and started leading me back to our little camp.

I sat down on a log as he started a fire.

"You need to be alone?" He asked.

"If you don't mind.." I said

"Nah its cool. I got to help Rick with something. ill see you later." He said as he walked off.

. . .

It had gotten dark out. It was starting to get colder as winter grew near.

I had been starting on dinner when I heard a scream. I jumped up and grabbed my crossbow and little medical bag that I had taken to always have on me.

I ran out into the field where I saw someone wavering there hands and yelling. Other members of the group were ahead of me. They all got there first before me and as I continued to run Rick started shouting my name.

As I got closer I saw Dale laying on the ground with his insides hanging out of him. I felt my breath leave my body and everything went silent as I skidded to my knees next to him. In my medical mind I knew he was going to die. To much damage had been done and it wouldn't belong till he left this world but not without suffering horribly. But still my emotions clouded my judgment as I bent down and started to try to help him. My hands were covered in blood when another pair of hands covered mine. I looked up and saw Hershel standing there. He was prying my hands away. And as the sounds came rushing back I could hear what he was saying.

"You cant save him Eva. He'll only suffer more." Hershel said with a sad and broken look in his eyes.

"But he cant." I whispered only loud enough for him to hear.

"I know sweetie I know." he said as he pulled me away.

I looked over and saw Rick holding his gun above Dales head. His hand was shaking. I looked over him and saw Daryl watching me. I gave him a nod and he stepped forward and took the gun from Ricks hand. He knelt down and put the gun over Dales head and Dale with his last bit of strength lifted his head up to it. Silently giving Daryl the ok to end his life.

"Sorry brother" Daryl said as he pushed down on the trigger and ended Dales suffering.

**So theres only going to be one more chapter then youll have to start looking out for the sequel:) **

**I have already named the sequel and its going to be called Mixed Match. Thank you to all the reviews! I was pretty surprised at how many people liked what happened to Shane haha. **

**Happy New years to everyone! **


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